The Bryce Underwood era has officially kicked off in Ann Arbor—and it began with 40,000 fans in the stands and plenty of eyes on every throw. The nation’s No. 1 QB of 2025 class made his highly anticipated Michigan debut in the program’s annual spring game, leading the Blue team to a 17-0 win over the Maize squad. Well, the box score may have raised some eyebrows: 12-for-26 passing, 187 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and two sacks. There was also a flash of brilliance that reminded everyone why Underwood is Michigan’s quarterback of the future. For Sherrone Moore, who’s tasked with following Jim Harbaugh’s legacy, it’s clear the future is bright… even if there are bumps along the way.

Underwood’s final throw of the day—a jaw-dropping 88-yard touchdown strike—was pure electricity. It wasn’t just the play itself, but the timing, the arm strength, the confidence to go deep after a rocky start. Still, the social media critics were quick to dissect every misstep. That’s when On3’s J.D. PicKell stepped in and delivered a reality check to the skeptics. “So, I know a lot of people like to play Twitter quarterback and say, ‘It’s a sack. He’s not getting it off in a real game. Underthrew it, whatever like.’ First of all, 88 yards when your longest pass play last year… was 36 yards. Miss me with all of that. Matter of fact, swing again and miss me twice. That’s strike two.”

PicKell wasn’t done. He reminded everyone that Michigan ran the exact same play last season. A reverse flea flicker—and it gained just 36 yards. This time, Bryce Underwood made it count. “You make no apologies. This could and has worked in a game. Didn’t work for Michigan in a game last year… but it works. So that’s the spring propaganda part of it,” he said. The play design, the execution, and the payoff—Underwood showed it all on that single snap. But the analyst also kept it grounded, focusing on the total picture.

“Let’s dial into the actual spring game. Because I told you statline wasn’t awesome. Dude, I mean, completed less than 50% of his passes. He had the pick. He’s a super talented true freshman. He is the future at Michigan.”

And that’s the point. Bryce Underwood is still just 17 years old. A mid-year enrollee with one spring game under his belt, already shouldering the weight of a blue blood’s hopes. For PicKell, spring games, especially for talented but raw players like Underwood, who haven’t played much college football, aren’t a big deal that will stain their resume. He offered an analogy too. “You don’t need the first date to know there’s going to be a second date. The first date’s kind of a formality. That’s kind of Spring game to me.” But...”I really believe he’s gonna start for you. Unless he had just gone out there and thrown out four picks. Unless you go out there and you just totally blow the date.”

What Michigan has in Underwood isn’t just hype—it’s long-term value. His arm strength is rare. His mobility is sneaky. And his football IQ, even at this early stage, is ahead of the curve. He’ll be QB1 this fall. There’s little doubt about that. But Sherrone Moore is not stopping with just one generational signal-caller.

Moore is already looking ahead—and the next target is four-star quarterback Brady Smigiel from Newbury Park, California. Once committed to Florida State, Smigiel decommitted and instantly became one of the most pursued prospects in the 2026 class. According to recruiting insiders, Michigan is firmly in the hunt. Steve Wiltfong has already logged a prediction for the Wolverines to land him, though the confidence sits at 40%. Translation: Michigan’s in the race, but this one’s far from over.

Smigiel’s stock is soaring, and so is his NIL valuation. The high school junior reportedly holds an On3 valuation of $331,000, before he’s even taken a college snap. That number underscores the current era of college football recruiting, where elite arms aren’t just about arm angles and spiral velocity but brand potential. If Moore can close the deal on Smigiel, he’ll have consecutive five-star caliber quarterbacks stacked in his room. It’s a luxury, but also a necessity in today’s college football arms race.

Big arm, bigger grind, Bryce Underwood at least turned Moore’s head in Ann Arbor

If you watched Michigan’s spring game, there’s no way you missed that absolute bomb from Bryce Underwood. The 88-yard tuddy served as the exclamation point for the afternoon. The big arm? Yeah, it’s very real. But head coach Sherrone Moore wants to keep the spotlight on the full picture.

“Did well, made some really good throws and had some things that we got to clean up and get better at,” Moore said. “But he’s a continuing work in progress, and he’s working his tail off to do it.” Underwood is clearly making an impression, not just on the field but with his relentless work ethic off it. In fact, Moore joked about how much time the young QB spends in the building.

“He’s a night owl, that’s true, so I try to get him to sleep more,” Moore said with a smile. “But because he’s in the building a lot, and he’s doing a lot to get better… nothing surprised me in the way he carries himself.” Moore praised Bryce’s upbringing too, saying, “Just knowing his family… just an outstanding job raising a young man.” The arm’s elite, but it’s that motor that might make Underwood special come August, before the Wolverines host New Mexico.