ANN ARBOR >> Freshman are freshman, even when you’re quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit.

Underwood, who graduated from Belleville this week and is now enrolled at Michigan, participated in his first collegiate practice Thursday with the Wolverines. Michigan is preparing for the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama on New Year’s Eve, and early enrollees are permitted to take part in bowl practices.

Bryce Underwood, the former Belleville standout, had his first practice with Michigan on Thursday.

“We were just trying to help Bryce find his helmet today,” Michigan quarterback Davis Warren said Thursday, laughing.

The early impressions of Underwood were positive.

“He’s all of 6-5. That’s one thing I noticed right away,” edge T.J. Guy said Thursday. “He’s tall. He’s a big kid. I’ve seen him throw the ball a little bit, nothing too serious, but it looks good coming out of his hand. Really excited to see him go all the way in practice.”

Warren started eight games this season for the Wolverines and is expected to be the starter in the bowl game, but has not yet made a decision about whether he will return for the 2025 season or transfer. He said he has had several conversations with head coach Sherrone Moore and knows Moore is looking for a quarterback in the transfer portal, but he doesn’t want to discuss his future publicly while preparing for the game.

He has thrown with Underwood and done some other drills and referred to him as a “great kid.”

“You’re not the No. 1 recruit in the country for no reason,” Warren said of Underwood. “He’s a super talented kid, and he cares about the details and wants to get better and wants to do things the right way and do things the Michigan way.”

Warren described Underwood, who was originally committed to LSU before flipping to Michigan late last month, as a competitor who loves football.

“Humble, wants to get better,” Warren said of the incoming freshman. “And I think it’s a little bit of a beautiful thing the way he came in versus the way I came in. Couldn’t be any more different in terms of, I don’t even know if there was even an article written about me when I committed, and I’m sure there’s been a lot written about him. But you wouldn’t be able to tell.

“He’s just a guy who wants to get better, wants to improve, knows he’s got a lot to learn just like any freshman would. But he’s been great. He wants to help this team win games just like I do, just like everyone in this building wants to. I’m so glad Bryce is here. It’s going to be a lot of fun to have him.”

While there are great expectations for Underwood, Warren said the first season is always challenging for so many reasons, including things like misplacing helmets. He shared his thoughts and advice with Underwood.

“Even I’ve felt that from when I started the season to the end of the season, just the comfortability being in the program, being in the system,” Warren said.

“There’s a certain level of getting all that figured out. There’s a lot going on. I remember my first practice and trying to make sure I wasn’t late and everything lined up. I remember making one good throw and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh hyping me up, and that’s kinda what I needed at the time to feel like, ‘OK, I belong and can move forward.’

“No one has a perfect career. Everyone’s had hiccups. You can name anyone. Everyone’s gonna have ups and downs. I’ve had ups and downs in my career, and he’s gonna have ups and downs too, but I know he’s well-suited for it, and that was my message to him: Take it all in stride. Take it all as a learning opportunity. Be humble. Be hungry, and you’ll fit in well here and earn the respect of the guys, because that’s a huge part of playing quarterback is having respect of the group and knowing when you’re out there they can trust you to make the right play and be the competitor to go win the game.”