Five schools in play for four-star TE Ethan Barbour

Ethan Barbour is a sought-after 2025 tight-end recruit, and the chances that he ends up with a big-time program are high.

Barbour already has over 30 offers to his name, but even as just a junior in high school, he has an idea as to where he'd like to end up.

Again, the options are basically unlimited, but per On3, the five that stand out right now for Barbour are Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State and South Carolina.

He's a four-star tight end from Alpharetta, Georgia, which is just about a two-hour car ride from Athens, where the Bulldogs play, so it makes sense that UGA is a contender. The Bulldogs are also churning out elite tight ends right now. Just look at Brock Bowers as an example. He's expected to be one of the top players in the country this season.

Of course, this wouldn't be a high-profile recruiting race if Nick Saban and Alabama weren't involved.

“Alabama bleeds championship pride and has championship tradition. Coach Nick Saban is a legend," Barbour told On3. "The number of NFL players from there is amazing. I like the new offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, who came from Notre Dame. Really, Alabama speaks for itself. The campus, the atmosphere and the fans are special too.”

Ohio State is a championship contender and Auburn is a national powerhouse, so they seem to fit the bill. Don't rule out South Carolina in this race either, though. Barbour seems to have a special connection to the Gamecocks and he has a ton of faith in head coach Shane Beamer.

"Coach Shane Beamer is building something special. You saw what they did last year and they are building something," the 4-star said.

Whichever way he chooses to go, Barbour told On3 that he's expecting to commit on September 22.

“I have a good idea of where I am going on Sept. 22, but time will tell,” Barbour said.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Barbour is the 4th ranked tight end in the 2025 recruiting class. He's already 6-foot-3, 215 pounds as a junior.