Next Cam Newton won’t even go to Michigan for an 8-figure NIL deal

It's safe to say that the first year of the Sherrone Moore era hasn't gone as Michigan had hoped. Sure, expectations were tempered coming in 2024: Winning a national title bought plenty of good will, and with head coach Jim Harbaugh, DC Jesse Minter and a host of talented players moving on to the NFL, a step back would've been more than understandable.

What's transpired, however, has been a lot more than just a step back. The timing of Harbaugh's departure for the Los Angeles Chargers — well after most players had already found a home in the transfer portal — put Moore behind the 8-ball, but even still, his decision not to try and upgrade on possibly the worst quarterback room in the Power 4 is damning in hindsight. As are Moore's first two coordinator hires, as both OC Kirk Campbell and DC Wink Martindale look years behind the schematic curve. No one expected another Big 10 title this season; but dropping to 5-5 after last week's loss at Indiana, on top of a host of questionable decisions, has fans ready to push the panic button already.

The best way for a program to flip the narrative? Score some wins on the recruiting trail. And as luck would have it, Michigan was in great position to do just that: Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 player overall in the 2025 class, just so happens to play his high school ball in Belleville, Michigan, just 30 minutes east of Ann Arbor.

This was it, Moore's chance to get Michigan back on the right track after a shaky start. Underwood wasn't just a prized recruit; he is, by all accounts, a program-changing one, drawing comparisons to past greats like Cam Newton thanks to his blend of size, speed and arm talent. And while he's been verbally committed to LSU since January, that wasn't about to stop Michigan from doing whatever it could to get its man. Which, in this brave new NIL world, means exactly one thing: putting together the biggest bag imaginable.

Which is exactly what Michigan did. According to a report from On3, the Wolverines were prepared to offer Underwood a $10.5 million package over four years on campus, a jaw-dropping number even by 2024's standards. For a program that had some questions to answer about how serious its NIL operation was, this was a huge statement, one that had the potential to change its trajectory entirely.

There's just one problem: Underwood responded by more or less laughing in Michigan's face.

Five-star QB Bryce Underwood laughs at Michigan's massive NIL offer

Underwood didn't take long to respond to rumors about Michigan's monster offer. Later that same evening, he shared a post to his Instagram story with the headline "#1 QB likely to decline Michigan's $10.5M NIL offer," complete with a photo of the QB wearing an LSU jersey.

While you can't take anything for granted until Underwood steps foot on campus next year, that would seem to be as clear a statement as you're likely to get. And it's a devastating one for the Wolverines: If a record-breaking bag and home-field advantage isn't enough to lure a player like Underwood, it's fair to wonder how other elite recruits are viewing Michigan right now. The team's offense is stuck in the Stone Age, and while Moore could help fix that by nailing his next coordinator hire, his previous decisions to inspire a ton of confidence. It's hard to make the argument in favor of a player like Underwood going to Michigan right now, given the offensive infrastructure that would be in place to support him, and it's also hard to make the argument that the people in charge know how to fix what's broken.

In the meantime, Michigan's loss is Brian Kelly's gain.