Former Michigan QB Jack Tuttle declares Bryce Underwood a better thrower than former No. 1 draft pick

Maliha
Syndication: Detroit Free Press - Source: Imagn
Syndication: Detroit Free Press - Source: Imagn

Ever since eighth grade, Bryce Underwood has been a standout athlete, and his talent culminated in him being named the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class. With each day, more attention is being drawn to the Michigan freshman, and the latest to speak about him is former Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle.

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While serving as the assistant wide receivers coach for Sherrone Moore's program during the offseason, Tuttle had the chance to observe Underwood up close. He made a bold statement about the QB's caliber on the "Locked On Wolverines" podcast on Thursday:

"I’ve seen Trevor Lawrence — I was at The Opening like 50 years ago with him and Justin Fields. I’ve seen all those guys. That was my class (2018). I’ve seen a lot of good football throwers, and I’ve been with Mike Penix at Indiana, obviously J.J. McCarthy here at Michigan.
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“And I would say Bryce is at the top with the best of them, and probably throws it better than a lot of those guys — which is scary to say, to be honest, because he’s so young.”
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The statement carries serious weight, as all four of these quarterbacks have been elite talents in college football, with Lawrence going on to become the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Lawrence threw for over 3,000 yards in each of his three college seasons, with a career completion percentage of 66.6%. Fields posted an even higher completion rate (68.4%) at Ohio State in just two seasons.

Meanwhile, Penix had a breakout year in 2022 with Washington, passing for over 4,600 yards, and McCarthy led Michigan to a national title with his dual-threat caliber.

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If Bryce Underwood is already showing traits that rival or surpass these accomplished players before even playing a college snap, Michigan can hope for a promising future with him under center.

Analyst doubts Bryce Underwood's impact as a true freshman

Michigan’s quarterback performance was one of many reasons for the Wolverines' 8-5 record in the 2024 season. There is increased pressure on the team to see better results from that position this season, and so Bryce Underwood will need to show his abilities right away.

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However, ESPN analyst Matt Barrie expressed skepticism about Underwood’s readiness to thrive as a true freshman. He said the following this week on "Always College Football":

"I just always have a hard time. I have a hard time finding a true freshman quarterback that can not only wow us, but in a power program like Michigan, from day one to day and game 14, 15, 16 nowadays, be the guy that elevates them back to the national championship conversation."

Bryce Underwood will be in the spotlight when Michigan starts the 2025 season against New Mexico on Aug. 30.

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Edited by John Maxwell
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