Michigan Wolverines offering historic NIL deal to flip coveted 2025 five-star recruit ahead of signing day
The Michigan Wolverines are in business this recruiting cycle and are no longer afraid to participate in the NIL game. After securing the commitment of five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola last month, they are going full steam ahead in securing perhaps their most important recruiting win ever. According to On3, the Wolverines are preparing a […]
The Michigan Wolverines are in business this recruiting cycle and are no longer afraid to participate in the NIL game. After securing the commitment of five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola last month, they are going full steam ahead in securing perhaps their most important recruiting win ever.
According to On3, the Wolverines are preparing a historic NIL deal in an effort to flip Bryce Underwood from the LSU Tigers.
Michigan is set to offer Underwood a $10.5M deal over four years, which would be about $2.625 million a year.
NIL deals typically aren't made public, in terms of valuation, but that type of NIL valuation would place Underwood in the top five of all collegiate athletes, according to On3's NIL database.
To put this deal into even more perspective, the 33rd overall pick in the NFL Draft has a contract value of $10.5M. Michigan has offered a recruit the same deal as the first pick in the second round of the NFL Draft would earn.
It's no surprise that the Wolverines are pulling out all the stops to secure Underwood's commitment before signing day. A five-star recruit from Belleville, Michigan, Underwood is the consensus number-one recruit in the class and is one of the most talented quarterback recruits of the last several cycles.
According to MaxPreps, Underwood has completed 74.8% of his passes this season for 2,095 yards and 29 touchdowns (10 games). In his high school career, Underwood has completed 69.6% of his passes for 5,500 yards and 71 touchdowns with just six interceptions. What's even more impressive is that he's put up those numbers in just two seasons as a starter.
A to Z Sports' Ryan Roberts reported that some teams believe Underwood will be capable of starting immediately as a freshman, which could push Garrett Nussmeier out of Baton Rouge.
With all of Michigan's offensive struggles this season, Underwood would be an immediate solution that would help fans forget such a disastrous 2024 season. Were he to commit to the Wolverines, he would be their highest-ranked commit since Rashan Gary in 2016.
However, LSU still feels very confident in its ability to retain Underwood, who has remained steadfast with the Tigers. Michigan continues to pursue him and up the ante, but time is running out before signing day on December 4th.
