A surprise No. 1 pick for the Michigan football spring game rosters

Michigan football quarterback Bryce Underwood is all the rage this spring. The hype machine has been working overtime, yet the five-star signal-caller isn't the only freshman making an impression this spring on the Wolverines, that became clear on Wednesday.

Michigan football held a draft for its annual spring game, and the first player selected wasn't Underwood or another returning player on the roster.

Instead, the first overall pick for the spring game was true freshman left tackle Andrew Babalola, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound tackle is the highest-rated offensive line commitment in program history after being ranked 14th overall in the 2025 class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

How fast can Andrew Babalola get on the field for Michigan football?

It's interesting to see Babalola get selected first overall, but it also could be a really positive sign for the Wolverines moving forward.

We have read all the glowing reports about Underwood this spring. Sam Webb of the Michigan Insider had another on Wednesday (subscription required) that should have fans feeling even better about the freshman phenom.

Yet, Michigan football also has a clear need for an offensive tackle. The Wolverines have shown interest in the offensive tackle available in the portal; however, if Babalola is ready to play right away, another transfer portal pickup might not be needed.

As it stands, Evan Link has been penciled in as the starter at left tackle. That's where he played during the bowl game against Alabama. He held up fine in that game, and has surely improved this spring but if Babalola was ready to play right away, that would be huge for Michigan football.

Being the No. 1 pick in the spring game doesn't mean anything for the 2025 season. It could indicate though that Babalola has been better than expected this spring which is a positive development in its own right.