Wolverine Digest

Michigan Football QB Bryce Underwood draws comparison to former Buckeye

How we feeling about this Wolverine fans?
Matt Lounsberry|
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan football enjoyed a recent resurgance from 2021-23, and it was driven in large part because of improved quarterback play in Ann Arbor.

With J.J. McCarthy off to the NFL, the Wolverines struggled at the position in 2024, but hope and anticipation abounds for the Maize and Blue faithful with the addition of five-star QB Bryce Underwood. While Michigan fans would love to see Underwood become the Wolverines' next iteration of McCarthy (with perhaps an even higher ceiling), the incoming freshman drew a much different comparison on Thursday.

According to Rivals, Underwood's NFL comparison is actually a former Ohio State Buckeye: current Houston Texans starter C.J. Stroud.

Is this comparison acceptable for Michigan's fanbase?

On the one hand, there's no denying Stroud's talent. He was one of the best pure passers in all of college football during his two seasons as Ohio State's starter, and was in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race in 2022, before the Buckeyes' lost to Michigan that season. Stroud's talent has been evident in his first two years in the professional ranks as well. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, and helped lead the Texans to the playoffs in each of his first two years.

On the other hand, Stroud went 0-2 as a starter against Michigan at Ohio State, and drew criticism for his seemingly unwillingness to scramble and put his body on the line in those matchups against the Wolverines. Stroud responded to that criticism by putting on a show with both his arms and his legs against No. 1 Georgia in the 2022 College Football Playoff, nearly leading the Buckeyes to an upset victory over the eventual-national champion Bulldogs.

However, Stroud's legacy in Columbus will remain somewhat diminished due to his inability to lead Ohio State to a win in "The Game" against Michigan.

Michigan Football quarterback Bryce Underwood draws comparison to former Ohio State QB CJ Stroud from Rivals.com
Michigan signee Bryce Underwood smiles during national signing day at Belleville High School in Belleville on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan would love to see Underwood, the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, develop into the pure passer that Stroud was in Columbus. They'd also love for the young QB to show the outstanding leadership, grit and pure determination (along with plenty of natural, raw talent) that McCarthy showcased in Ann Arbor.

In the end, Underwood will have every opportunity to write his own legacy in Ann Arbor over the next three to four years. He's the caliber of prospect that doesn't need to be compared to anyone who's come before him Underwood has a chance to be a 'one-of-one' type talent. Time will reveal what the 17-year-old eventually becomes for the Wolverines.

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Matt Lounsberry
MATT LOUNSBERRY

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