Former Michigan 4-star QB commit chooses new Big Ten school

Amid Michigan’s widely reported pursuit of Belleville 2025 five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, Fort Myers (Fla.) Bishop Verot four-star signal-caller Carter Smith backed off his verbal pledge to the Wolverines on Oct. 30.

Michigan secured a commitment from Underwood on Thursday, flipping him from LSU, while Smith also has found a new home.

The No. 164 overall prospect nationally, per the 247Sports Composite rankings, announced Sunday night on social media his intention to play at Wisconsin.

“I’ve talked to a lot of coaches in such a short time and have made many amazing relationships,” Smith wrote in a first-person story in the News-Press. “I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities that were offered to me. With that being said, I decided to commit to the University of Wisconsin.

“I fell in love with everything that they had to offer: an electric fan base, an incredible coaching staff, and a great education. I could not have gotten more lucky! Go Badgers!”

Smith was one of the first players to join Michigan’s 2025 class, committing in November 2023 when Jim Harbaugh was still the coach. He took a visit to Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ showdown against Michigan State on Oct. 26, but shortly after, Michigan’s full-court press to try and land Underwood, the No. 1 recruit in the country, became highly publicized.

“He felt extremely disappointed in how they handled everything,” Smith’s father, Dan Smith, told ESPN.

After reopening his recruitment, Carter, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida in 2023, received interest from a handful of schools and took an official visit to Wisconsin on Nov. 15 against No. 1 Oregon. He becomes the highest-ranked prospect in the Badgers’ class and is the second former Michigan pledge to choose Wisconsin in the past week. Palatine (Ill.) four-star defensive lineman flipped his commitment on Wednesday.

Michigan turning its attention to Underwood during a season where the offense has largely been inept signals a shift in recruiting under first-year head coach Sherrone Moore. Multiple outlets have reported that Underwood is set to earn a name, image, likeness package in the millions when he is expected to ink his letter of intent during the early signing period Dec. 4-6.

The state recorder holder in passing and total touchdowns is the second No. 1 overall recruit Michigan has landed in the online rankings era.