"The pressure is higher": CFB analyst issues stern warning to $3 million QB Bryce Underwood ahead of 2025 season

Bryce Underwood is arguably the most anticipated freshman in the upcoming 2025 college football season. The quarterback, who is one of the most highly regarded recruits in history, flipped his commitment from Michigan in November after months of pledging to LSU.

The Wolverines lured Underwood with a Larry Ellison-sponsored financial package said to be worth $10.5 million, which could reach $12 million according to reports. This is one of the biggest NIL deals in college football history, showcasing the quarterback’s talent level.

However, such a huge financial package is bound to come with a lot of lofty expectations when he begins his career at Ann Arbor. On Thursday, ESPN’s college football analyst Greg McElroy gave Bryce Underwood, who has a NIL value worth $3 million according to On3, a reality check ahead of his freshman season at Michigan.

“I think Bryce Underwood is making a lot more money than pretty much everybody," McElroy said Thursday on Always College Football." He's 19 years old or 18 years old, whatever.”

“...But there's been a handful of guys that have not lived up to the expectations and the weight of the NIL expectations, because I do think – now in the era of the NIL – the expectations are higher and the pressure is higher as well.”

Underwood, who played for Belleville High School in Michigan, is the No. 1-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025, per 247Sports. As a senior, he completed 72% of his passes, throwing for 2,509 yards with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Joel Klatt believes Michigan needs to get it right at quarterback amid Bryce Underwood’s arrival

Poor quarterback play was the biggest problem Michigan encountered last season. While discussing the team's Week 2 game against Oklahoma on Tuesday's episode of the “Joel Klatt Show,” college football analyst Joel Klatt noted that the Wolverines need to get it right at the quarterback position.

“They need a bounce-back year desperately," Klatt said. Defense was fine last year. Offense was not. They need to figure out the quarterback position. They spent a lot of money."

"They did a lot of work in the recruiting process and got Bryce Underwood, one of the most attractive and sought-after recruits that we've seen in a long time. They landed him. And so this might be kind of the first major start that we see from Bryce Underwood."

None of the three options Michigan tried out last season was able to replace J.J. McCarthy adequately. This resulted in an unimpressive 8-5 finish. Underwood, who could earn the starting role as a freshman, now faces the responsibility of getting the Wolverines back on track.