A fake tweet and an AI-generated apology nearly torched the reputation of Michigan’s star QB, Bryce Underwood, sending a stark reminder of social media’s power to deceive. The quarterback has garnered attention, as unverified allegations surfaced against the Michigan QB.

“#BREAKING: University of Michigan’s Compliance Office has officially opened an internal investigation with campus police after freshman QB Bryce Underwood was spotted in a recently leaked locker-room video,” BrodySheetzESPN wrote on X on February 13, sharing a blurry screenshot. “In the video, the 18-year-old star was spotted smoking marijuana.” 

For about five minutes, it had people believing it. But if you dig deeper, the post came from Brody Sheetz, a self-proclaimed On3 analyst on X. It’s a fake profile that’s been online since 2022. There is no verification and no ties to On3. And that’s not the only red flag. 

The situation was then amplified by another account sharing what looked like a public apology from Bryce Underwood referencing the “impure activities.” And for a second, it looked real as the formatting looked official and the tone was serious. That’s until you get to the final line that ends with one eye-opening sentence – “This response was generated by artificial intelligence.” So why did this gain traction?

Bryce Underwood isn’t your average player. He’s a former No. 1 overall recruit, a consensus 5-star, and one of the most talked-about QBs in the country. When a big name gets attached to something “leaked,” it piques everyone’s curiosity. But here’s the fact. There have been zero confirmed reports from the University of Michigan, campus police, ESPN, or any major outlet verifying an investigation. This story isn’t real. 

What’s real is that ESPN was just discussing Bryce Underwood two days ago, and it had nothing to do with compliance offices. It was about football, potential, and development. During ESPN’s roundtable on early college football storylines, Harry Lyles Jr. didn’t hesitate when the Wolverines QB’s name came up. 

“I agree with all of the above, but I’ll add Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood based on his potential,” he said. 

He pointed directly to new OC Jason Beck and the success he had with Devon Dampier at New Mexico and Utah. Now, can he unlock this former No. 1 high school player?

Bryce Underwood expected to see a jump in 2026

Bryce Underwood’s freshman year was uneven. Michigan ranked No. 58 in total offense and No. 105 in passing offense. Although he threw for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and completed 60.3% of his passes, that’s not elite production. But as Kirk Herbstreit put it, they “didn’t really have any receivers.” So what changes now? The ESPN analyst believes the jump is coming. 

“I think he’s going to have a massive jump, you would expect,” he said on Crain & Cone. 

Herbstreit also noted that evaluating an 18-year-old QB in a shaky offense requires patience. Jason Beck now gets an offseason to study Bryce Underwood, his sweet spots, his decision-making tendencies, and his comfort zones, and where he’s most comfortable. He arrived with over 40 scholarship offers and the weight of expectations.

Now he gets a new system, a coordinator who’s maximized dual-threat talent before, and a year of experience under his belt. If he cleans up ball security and improves decision-making, Michigan’s ceiling changes.