Recruiting Roundup: Michigan making strong push to flip five-star QB Bryce Underwood

There’s been a lot of smoke surrounding five-star QB Bryce Underwood and the Michigan Wolverines. Sherrone Moore appears to be doing everything he can to flip him from LSU. We have that and more in today’s Recruiting Roundup:

It’s almost Halloween, and while kids across the country are looking forward to dressing up and loading up on candy, the biggest treat Michigan fans are hoping for is a flip from five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood.

We’ll touch on Michigan’s recent push for the highly-coveted passer, and some defensive linemen Michigan is also trying to flip, in this edition of the Recruiting Roundup.

Michigan making strong push to flip Underwood

We like to use the term “top priority” in recruiting articles like this a lot, but I don’t believe I’m using hyperbole when I say flipping Underwood is the top priority for the Michigan Wolverines .

The Belleville standout, rated first in the 2025 class on the 247Sports composite , has been committed to LSU since January, but Michigan is doing its damndest to change that. On3’s EJ Holland did some recent reporting ($) on Michigan’s pursuit of Underwood, calling all the smoke “very real.”

Holland also reported:

• NIL won’t be an issue in Underwood’s recruitment, with Holland saying folks connected to the program who aren’t Dave Portnoy are ready to pony up for him.
• Head coach Sherrone Moore is leading the push, with general manager Sean Magee heavily involved as well.
• Moore has kept contact with Underwood every single day, and every indication is he will continue to do so. Moore was also honest about this pursuit with four-star Carter Smith, who has been committed for almost a year now . Michigan could obviously lose Smith if Underwood flips.

Underwood has been the apple of Michigan’s eye for a while now, and despite Moore’s first season not being perfect by any means, landing Underwood would certainly give Michigan fans more faith in the future of the program . It would be the program’s biggest recruiting win in years — possibly ever — and could lead to U-M landing other elite playmakers.

Updates on Underwood have been sparse until recently — in the words of John U. Bacon , I’m still convinced no one knows anything — but we will keep you posted.

Georgia Tech three-star DL commit makes surprise visit to Michigan

Dozens of recruits were in town to watch Michigan beat Michigan State for the third consecutive season, including a surprise visitor.

Derry Norris , a 2025 three-star defensive lineman three-star defensive lineman who has been committed to Georgia Tech since June, visited Ann Arbor after picking up an offer from the Wolverines earlier this month. The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($) first reported this information.

Michigan already has an impressive group of defensive line recruits in the class, including four-star Jaylin Williams , four-star Julius Holly and three-star Bobby Kanka . Adding Norris gives that group a bit more depth, which is always needed in the trenches.

Syracuse DL commit speaks highly of Michigan after visit

Norris wasn’t the only defensive linemen in town for the battle of the Paul Bunyan trophy, as Michigan is also trying to flip 2025 three-star Syracuse commit Quante Gillians .

Gillians, a Rochester, New York native, has been committed to the Orange since June, but told On3’s Holland ($) he thought highly of Michigan’s facilities. He also got to spend some quality time with Michigan’s head coach.

“Coach Moore sat down with me and my family, and we just chopped it up,” Gillians said. “We talked about the tradition of Michigan and how Michigan’s life after ball program is second to none. He seems like a great guy. The first time we met each other, he dapped me up, hugged me, squeezed me and tried to pick me up. He gave me the love like we knew each other for a long time. It was like we were family. It’s the best feeling when you meet a coach like that. He told me he won’t take anything less than 100 percent from me on and off the field. He wants me to be great.”

As is usually the case with defensive linemen, Gillians spoke with defensive line coach Lou Esposito as well. He was also hosted by freshman Dominic Nichols.

“That’s my guy,” Gillians said of Nichols. “He told me that I everything I see on the visit is what I’ll get at Michigan. If I work hard, the coaches will like me. Playing time will come. If I slack off, I have to blame myself because I’m not giving my best to Michigan. He said coach Espo is a great coach and same thing with coach Moore.”

Gillians plans to visit Syracuse next month, but is also hoping to visit Michigan one more time before National Signing Day.

“They are in the same conversation as Syracuse,” Gillians said to Holland after the visit. “They are 1 and 1. I want to decide some time mid-to-late November. My Top 3 are still Michigan, Michigan State and Syracuse. But Michigan and Syracuse are in the driver’s seat.”

Quick Hitters

-Shamari Earls, a four-star cornerback committed to Georgia that Michigan has been trying to flip since the beginning of the summer, visited for the Michigan State win . Holland ($) reported that Earls may visit Michigan again for the Northwestern game, and may also visit to Georgia the week before that.

-The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz ($) reported that 2025 four-star tight end commit Andrew Olesh visited Oregon this past weekend. Lorenz said that Penn State is the main threat for a potential flip. Olesh is set to visit Michigan again for the Northwestern game next month, likely his final visit of the recruiting process.