Coach Prime Faces New Recruiting Threat as Bryce Underwood Influences No.1 OT Odds After Sooners News

Sherrone Moore might have been new to Ann Arbor. But he was not afraid to go to great lengths to land the No.1 QB recruit, Bryce Underwood. For that, the Wolverines had dug deep into their pockets, making a hefty $12 million NIL offer. Now, as Underwood steps into 2025, he is carrying the burden of that fat amount on his shoulders. And that so-called burden, aka responsibility, has even made him a recruiting hurdle to Deion Sanders himself.

“With all of that comes immense expectations. The Wolverines brought in veteran Mikey Keene from Fresno State to serve as a bridge quarterback. But ultimately, the onus is going to fall on Underwood to prove he’s worth the hype and money,” ESPN’s Jake Trotter said. In this off-season, the quarterback was spotted flexing his pearly white-colored Lamborghini Urus worth $278k. This made the Michigan fans fear that Underwood may undergo the same fate as Shedeur with all this NIL flex. But no, while the quarterback preps himself for a powerful 2025 season, he now moves with a ‘me to we’ mindset.

And what better way to do that than being the catalyst in the recruiting drive? But this initiative leaves Coach Prime struggling to get a good night’s sleep.

Right now, 5-star prospect Felix Ojo has been stirring the pot. The 6-foot-7, 275-pounder from Lake Ridge High School already holds a buffet of offers, including Colorado, Michigan, Texas, and Ole Miss, among others. Oklahoma was in the race for Ojo too, but Brent Venables‘ team won’t host him after his June 9th announcement made it clear. “Not needed. Nearing my decision a lot sooner than later.” That’s when Underwood jumped into the race.

Putting the burden off Moore’s shoulders, the quarterback has now taken on a mission to woo Ojo. As Hayes Fawcett reported on June 12, “Michigan QB & 2025 No. 1 Recruit Bryce Underwood is recruiting Five-Star OT Felix Ojo to Michigan 👀〽️.” At least Ojo and Underwood’s social media activities hint at it. 

The IG post consists of a screenshot where the No.1 offensive tackle dropped a cryptic message tagging Underwood, “@19bryce._ _ Is this da move?” The plot thickened with Underwood dropping a comment under Ojo’s post, “yk what to do.” The hot recruit had taken his official visit to Ann Arbor in May, and that’s where the duo had struck a bond.

As Steve Wiltfong reported, “He spent time with Bryce Underwood, Michigan’s prized true freshman, the number one player in the country per On3 in the 2025 cycle…Bryce Underwood told him that the reasons he came to Michigan, outside of NIL obviously, were development and culture. And then the offense, it’s still very similar to the one they ran under Jim Harbaugh, a pro-style scheme that gets everybody ready to rip and roar for Sundays.” Already, the Wolverines have won Ojo’s heart.

Their biggest selling point is the fact that Moore is an offensive-minded coach himself, and he’s helped send a lot of offensive linemen from Michigan to the NFL. Also, the Wolverines are generous with NIL offers, as we’ve seen with Underwood. Does that mean Deion is already getting nightmares that Ojo is slipping from his hands?

Felix Ojo boarding Deion Sanders’ wagon will be a risky move

Over the past few months, Ojo’s recruiting track has hit multiple turns. On April 5, On3 reported, “5-star OT Felix Ojo continues to feel like a top priority for Texas, he tells @SWiltfong_ 🤘.” The player went to Texas on April 3, after which he was wooed by the Longhorns. But it did not take Ojo long to turn his back on Austin.

On April 12, he got wooed by the ‘family vibes’ in Columbus. “What excites me about the Buckeyes is the opportunity to play early and the family atmosphere of the program. I’ve seen the campus facilities and pretty much everything Columbus has to offer.” But even after that, he took a trip to Boulder in May.

Deion’s excitement was hitting the ceiling to get the opportunity to host Ojo. After all, the 5-star holds Colorado in high regard. “I feel like (Coach) Deion is changing the game over there at Colorado.” And no wonder, the visit went well. After the trip, Ojo fueled the hype as he tweeted a snap posing with Coach Prime. The caption read, “#LEGENDARY #GoBuffs @DeionSanders.”

Even if things look positive for Felix Ojo and the Colorado Buffaloes, what worries Deion Sanders about landing a top recruit like him? The past really bothers the Buffs’ head coach. Colorado went all out for 5-star Julian Lewis, but right after he landed in Boulder, he was downgraded to a 4-star. The same happened with OL Chauncey Gooden and DB Alex Graham, who were demoted from 4-star to 3-star by On3 after committing. So, Ojo likely won’t want to gamble his 5-star status by jumping into Boulder.