Is $3M NIL-valued Bryce Underwood ready to start for the Wolverines? Michigan insider weighs in on the QB battle

Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood will have a lot of eyes on him next season. The Wolverines will start their 2025 campaign against New Mexico on Aug. 30, and Underwood will have an early chance to showcase his athletic prowess.

Underwood, who has a NIL valuation of $3 million (according to On3), was heavily recruited and flipped from LSU to Sherrone Moore's program. After J.J. McCarthy entered the NFL draft in 2024, the Wolverines faced a quarterback void, prompting Moore to look for his replacement. Last season, Michigan divided the quarterback duties between Davis Warren, Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle.

The Wolverines have a quarterback dilemma, with Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene, Jadyn Davis and Underwood competing for the QB1 role.

On Thursday, The Wolverine's Chris Balas talked about Underwood's chances to make it to the top of Moore's quarterback priority list.

"Bryce Underwood, from practice one to practice 15 and what he brings to the table in terms of physical skills, is like nothing we've ever seen here before," Balas said.

After suffering an injury early in the offseason, Keene is back on the track, raising competition for Underwood.

"I think Mikey Keene is starting to heal up," Balas said. "I talked to Chip Lindsay today, as a matter of fact, the offensive coordinator, and he said he's back healthy. I suppose he could come out of nowhere and all of a sudden, pick up the offense ... and just wowing everybody at the point where, OK, he's the guy."

Despite the stiff competition, Balas is confident with Underwood's ability to start for the Wolverines.

"I do think that Underwood will be the guy," Balas said. "I think that Mikey Keene will be pushing him. Jaden Davis is a distant third. But as when I asked somebody specifically, I said, Alright, off the record, who's your quarterback this year? And then he said, follow the money. And that means Bryce Underwood."

"Dude, you need to get some sleep:" Sherron Moore impressed with Bryce Underwood's work ethic

Bryce Underwood will make his collegiate debut in the upcoming months as part of Michigan's offense. He has been hardworking, and his work ethic did not escape Sherrone Moore's attention.

In an interview with On3, Moore praised his hustle and called the quarback "addicted to the sport."

"He is really addicted to football, that he loves it," Moore said in April. "He loves the preparation. He loves the grind. To the point sometimes you gotta tell him, 'Dude, you need to get some sleep. It's not healthy.' But he loves it man. He wants to be the best and he works at it and he's doing a really good job for us."

ESPN's Future Power rankings has the Wolverines at No. 13 in the 12-team College Football Playoff era. Last year, they were No. 5.