The nation’s best: LSU picks up third No. 1 prospect nationally at this position with pledge from Class of 2025’s top-rated player Bryce Underwood

Joins fellow five-star and top-rated players Harlem Berry and Dakorian Moore in Tigers' No. 1 class

Five-star prospect and the nation's top-ranked player in the Class of 2025, quarterback Bryce Underwood, during one of his unofficial visits to LSU with quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. PHOTO COURTESY: Bryce Underwood

The pieces of LSU’s Class of 2025 continued to align just right.

With commitments from the nation’s No. 1 running back Harlem Berry and No. 1 wide receiver Dakarion Moore, the Tigers recruiting efforts Saturday resulted in a straight flush a pledge from the nation’s No. 1 overall player – quarterback Bryce Underwood.

The 6-foot-3 205-pound Underwood, a five-star prospect from Belleville, Michigan, selected LSU over home state choice Michigan, Alabama, Colorado, Florida State, Oregon and Penn State.

“LSU felt like home,” Underwood told On3 Sprots. “The relationship I built with the coaching staff is unbreakable. I’ve never felt an atmosphere better than LSU’s. It’s unreal.”

LSU’s recruiting class jumped to No. 1 overall nationally with its third commitment from a five-star prospect, joining Berry of St. Martin’s Episcopal in New Orleans and Moore of Duncanville, Texas.

Underwood made the announcement at his school, playing a video that captured his playing career since his youth. After the video Underwood, dressed in a cream-colored jacket and black shirt, pulled out a white LSU jersey with No. 19 Underwood on the back.

“The new LSU pledge is one of the most talented underclassmen QB prospects we’ve seen in several cycles,” On3’s Director of Scouting & Rankings Charles Power said of Underwood.

Underwood’s pledge is the eighth overall for the Tigers who finished 10-3 with a win over Wisconsin in Monday’s ReliaQuest Bowl.

LSU featured the nation’s top-rated offense in 2023 with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels, who performed his magic sometimes in front of Underwood during one of his three unofficial visits last year to Baton Rouge.

Quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan has been among LSU’s chief recruiters for Underwood.

LSU currently has upper classmen Garrett Nussmeier and Vanderbilt transfer AJ Swann set to battle for the team’s starting job this season with redshirt freshman Rickie Collins and true freshman Colin Hurley behind them.

Underwood, who reclassified to the Class of ’25, has led Belleville to three straight state championship appearances and kept a string of six consecutive MHSAA Division I district titles alive.

He was Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year and member of MaxPreps.com’s Junior All-America team, leading Belleville to a 13-1 record and state runners-up appearance this season with a 36-32 loss to Southfield, which snapped a 38-game winning streak in the final.

Underwood passed for 3,329 yards and 41 touchdowns and added seven more rushing touchdowns and 199 rushing yards this season.

“Bryce Underwood will likely go down as one of the greatest quarterback in the history of high school in Michigan,” Greg Wickliffe of MLive-The Ann Arbor News. “His junior season was just as impressive as his first two campaigns as he led Belleville to a 13-1 record and third straight championship appearance. He was the most consistent player this season with more than 40 touchdowns passes to only three interceptions.”

Underwood directed Belleville to consecutive state titles, a 27-1 record and was named the state’s Player of the Year in 2021 as a freshman. He threw for 2,762 yards and 37 TDs in ’22 and 2,888 yards with 39 TDs in ’21 – giving him career totals of 8,815 yards and 117 TDs.

He was selected to the MaxPreps.com’s Freshman All-America team in ’21.

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William Weathers

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