I don't get what the fuss is. Even if he signs with LSU next year, there's a 50% chance he transfers out, quite possibly home to Michigan, a la Quinn Ewers to Ohio State oops back to Texas.
I refuse to follow recruiting anymore because unrestricted portaling and NIL have turned this sport into perpetual free agency, and half the kids we recruit don't stay here anymore. There is literally zero excitement on signing day, because it's utterly meaningless now. Although nothing is less than zero, the verbal commitment of a kid who has a year til signing, who may then portal out at any time, is somehow even less than utterly meaningless. Heck, I'd say more than 50% chance he doesn't stick with LSU, because he's going to want to play right away, and Nussmeier is almost certainly not leaving after next season, and he's going to be nigh impossible for a true freshman to beat out.
If I'm a Michigan fan, I just sit tight and wait for the 50+% chance he finds his way to Michigan no matter what. Certainly not anything the current NCs should be worrying about.
And of course there's the age-old fizzle factor even when we do get guys. According to something I read this morning, Underwood would be among LSU's top 10 signees of the past two decades, at #3 between #4 Patrick Peterson and #2 Russell Shepard. The WR committed to us would be #6 between #7 Derek Stingley and #5 Arik Gilbert. Years ago I outlined for Eric Cartmann all the 5-stars who had busted for us, and how many 4 and some 3 stars were generally our big players. But just looking at this quick, short list, Patrick Peterson was a hit, obviously. Stingley was great, but we only got one real season from him as he stayed hurt after that. Russell Shepard is a big LOL....he played for us, but never at QB, and he was an extremely meh WR. Arik Gilbert transferred out before ever seeing the field. Others include #10 Harold Perkins (hit), #9 Craig Loston (I mean.....pretty decent, but hardly anyone who springs to mind if I were rating the top 10 players of the last 20 years), #8 Kevin Toliver II (again, pretty decent, but same thing.....hardly a CB who springs to mind in the string of DBs we produced for 15+ years), and #1 Leonard Fournette (hit). My point is, even if Underwood came to LSU and stayed put, that list indicates a decent chance he won't pan out to be the superstar everybody thinks.