Bryce Underwood

Bryce Jay Underwood is the son of Jay and Beverly Underwood. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended Belleville High School in Belleville, Michigan.

At Belleville, Underwood played for the Tigers under coaches Dejuan Rogers and Calvin Norman. He wore number 19 and developed into one of the most highly regarded high school quarterbacks in the country.

Underwood made an immediate impact during his freshman season in 2021, leading Belleville to the first of his two state championships. In the title game against Rochester Adams, he completed 12 of 21 passes for 284 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for 62 yards and another touchdown. He finished the season with 2,888 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns and six rushing scores, earning MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors.

In 2022, Underwood passed for 2,762 yards and 37 touchdowns and added 632 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Belleville went undefeated and won a second consecutive state title, while Underwood received the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year and Michigan MaxPreps Player of the Year awards.

As a junior in 2023, he threw for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns with only three interceptions, adding 199 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Belleville reached a third consecutive state championship game, but its defeat against Southfield A&T ended the team's 38-game winning streak. Underwood was named Michigan High School Football Player of the Year and Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year.

Underwood broke MHSAA career records for passing touchdowns and total touchdowns during his senior season in 2024. He finished high school with a 50-4 record, two state championships, 12,919 all-purpose yards and 179 total touchdowns, including state-record totals of 11,488 passing yards and 152 passing touchdowns. He won the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, Michigan High School Football Player of the Year and Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year awards for a second time, and also received the Michigan Mr. Football Award.

Underwood entered his senior season as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 quarterback and overall player in the 2025 recruiting class. He initially committed to the LSU Tigers in January 2024, but switched his commitment to Michigan on November 21, 2024. He signed his national letter of intent with Michigan during the early signing period and enrolled as an early student in December 2024.

Underwood competed with Jadyn Davis and transfer quarterback Mikey Keene for Michigan's starting job. Head coach Sherrone Moore named him the starter before the 2025 season, making him only the fourth true freshman to start at quarterback for Michigan and the first since Tate Forcier in 2009. He was also selected for the cover of EA Sports College Football 26, becoming the first true freshman chosen for the cover.

In his first collegiate start against New Mexico, Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown without a turnover. His passing total set a Michigan program record for a freshman quarterback in a debut, and his first touchdown pass was a 15-yard throw to Marlin Klein. Against Central Michigan, he threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.