The Bryce Underwood era has officially kicked off in Ann Arbor—but it didn’t begin with fireworks. It began with a deep breath, some growing pains, and a dose of reality. A few months back, Underwood was the No. 1 recruit in the country. Michigan fans were ready to throw parades, and head coach Sherrone Moore had just pulled off the biggest QB flip in years. Well, a $10.5 million worth flip. But fast forward to the Maize vs. Blue Spring Game, and things looked… complicated. Not bad. Just, freshman.
Underwood went 12-of-27 for 186 yards and a touchdown, though most of that came on a final-play trick shot. That’s 44.4% completion—not ideal. He missed some open throws. Took two sacks. Got flagged twice for delay of the game. Ran three times for 17 yards. The flashes were there, but so were the fumbles—literally and figuratively.
Sherrone Moore kept it honest postgame: “Did well, made some really good throws. Has some things that we have to clean up and get better at, but he’s going to continue to work and progress, and he’s working his tail off to do it.” So yeah—raw? Sure. But that’s normal. The bigger story? The ceiling.
While social media flooded with hot takes, one respected voice offered a more grounded perspective: former Alabama QB and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy. “Michigan this past weekend, true freshman quarterback going in, and it’s Bryce Underwood, man. We’re all excited to see Bryce Underwood. He’s the top quarterback prospect ever,” McElroy said on the April 22nd episode of ESPN College Football.
McElroy admitted he wasn’t sure exactly where Underwood ranks “on the pecking order of all-time recruits,” but added, “There are few that I was more excited about making sure I checked out than Bryce Underwood because of what he might mean to the Michigan Wolverines.” That said, he didn’t sugarcoat the Spring Game either.
“If you look at the overall performance you probably coming out of it feeling just the tiniest bit underwhelmed. Because if you look at every play but the last play or two of the game it was kind of underwhelming.” Still, McElroy wasn’t hitting the panic button. Far from it.
“People are kind of pointing to well, look at the misses, look at the inefficiencies. I’ll tell you this, guys. He’s a true freshman… Nothing about his performance was surprising. Wasn’t disappointing. It wasn’t to the point where I’m giving him the Heisman Trophy.” Translation? Chill out—this kid’s just getting started. Even with a clunky stat line, McElroy saw what matters most: tools. The arm talent. The mobility. The flashes. The potential. “Because if you look at what he provided the position, knowing that he is a threat to run if he can do it—I’m not saying it’s something he’s going to do a lot of—but he is a threat to run.”
And McElroy didn’t stop there…..
“Even at 11 of 25 for 99 yards, if you remove the last play of the game, he’s already significantly better than any option they had last year.” Ouch—for Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji, and Davis Warren—but he’s not wrong. And McElroy wrapped it up with one line that said it all: “So I feel pretty good about Michigan’s quarterback situation going into the fall.”
Sure, the debut was a little bumpy. But there’s no doubt Underwood’s talent gives Michigan something it hasn’t had in years: a long-term QB1 with NFL upside. And now that the hype is balancing out with some honest feedback? Maybe that’s exactly what he—and this team—needs.
Sherrone Moore’s QB room is stacking up
But here’s the thing about college football: it’s never just about one guy. Even with a phenom like Bryce Underwood on campus, Sherrone Moore knows better than to settle.
Enter: Brady Smigiel, the 4-star gunslinger from Newbury Park (CA), once a Florida State commit and now a top-100 recruit in the 2026 class. And yes—he’s got a price tag too. Smigiel’s NIL valuation? A cool $331,000, per On3.
This week, recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction that Michigan could land Smigiel. The confidence level? 40%—so not a lock, but definitely worth watching. Especially considering who else is in the mix: Notre Dame, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State, and—ironically—FSU still circling back.
Smigiel is ranked the No. 8 QB in the 2026 class, and No. 13 overall in California. If Michigan pulls it off? That’s two elite quarterbacks in two straight cycles. And suddenly, the Wolverines’ QB future looks deeper than just Bryce.
Smart thinking from Sherrone Moore, no doubt. Because in today’s CFB landscape, all it takes is one injury, one bad month, or one eye-popping NIL offer to flip a program’s fate. Having depth at QB isn’t a luxury anymore—it’s a necessity.
For now, Bryce Underwood remains the guy. But Sherrone Moore is wisely building insurance around him. If Smigiel joins the fold, Michigan’s quarterback room becomes one of the most promising in the country. Depth. Star power. Development upside. It’s all there.
And yes, Bryce’s Spring Game was a little uneven. But it was also his first real taste of the college game. He flashed enough to justify the hype—and got just enough humble pie to fuel the fire. Because let’s be honest: how many true freshmen get criticized for an “underwhelming” 186-yard performance—with a game-winning touchdown—in April?
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