Despite having potential, Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood's future still looks uncertain. He started well, but mistakes and uneven decision-making have created doubts about his impact on the field. 

ESPN’s Tier 5: Christian Hackenberg Paradox places Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood in a group with two other quarterbacks. And that is not a good sign.

ESPN writer David Hale wrote that all three had some good moments in 2025, but their mixed performances and mistakes have raised doubts about their future progress.

“Looked, at times, like elite players as true freshmen in 2025 but whose miscues left at least a little room for concern over their future development,” Hale stated, highlighting the uncertainty despite their strong early flashes. 

As college football continues to look at young quarterback talent, ESPN has ranked three highly-rated freshmen in the “Christian Hackenberg Paradox” group, including Michigan’s Bryce Underwood.

ESPN’s “Hackenberg Paradox” is used to show that starting well does not matter much if a player does not keep improving over time.

Hackenberg threw 20 touchdowns during his freshman season in 2011 but later struggled with turnovers. He was picked in the second round of the NFL Draft with high expectations. However, he never played a single snap during regular season games.

Bryce Underwood, for instance, had a lot of open looks because he wasn’t tested much against man coverage, which came on only 16.6% of his passes.

He also missed 20% of his throws, showing he still needs to be sharper and more consistent when pushing the ball downfield. 

Bryce Underwood is a college football player with top talent. But the question is whether he can deliver that same level every time he plays or if his performance drops under pressure. 

Michigan looks to bring stability around Bryce Underwood

Michigan is starting Bryce Underwood’s second season with a focus on giving him more stability after a freshman year with many changes and inconsistent play.

Broncos OC Davis Webb, when speaking on QB development, explained that a quarterback was formed by an amalgamation of factors, not just a good coach or intuitive teammates.

He said, “It’s not a quarterback coach. It’s not just the head coach… It’s the person itself. Who is in the room with the quarterback is underrated. And who does he have to throw to? How’s he protected? Like, it’s a domino effect of so many different things.”

Michigan hopes that Webb's words will ring true, and a more stable setup will help Bryce Underwood improve in his second season.

The big question now is whether he can utilize his talent more consistently. The next season could be the key to his future.

What do you think about Bryce Underwood’s future? Let us know in the comments. 

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Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit