South Carolina Football: Elite tight end prospect makes college choice

Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football program, like all major college football programs, has an eye on the future at all times. The recruiting efforts in Columbia have paid dividends for the Gamecocks as they have two 5-star prospects committed in the 2024 cycle (one of just four programs that can say that), only the second time that has happened in the modern recruiting era.

USC constantly finds itself involved in some sort of recruiting news. Inclusion in prospects’ final lists and commitment announcements (in favor of and against the Gamecocks) come rolling in almost weekly.

South Carolina football target Ethan Barbour announced his top-5 schools earlier in September and revealed that he would be making his college decision toward the end of the month. His decision would be between South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, and Ohio State.

On Friday, the 4-star Barbour made good on that promise by announcing his decision around lunchtime. South Carolina football fans who were waiting around for his announcement were left disappointed as Barbour made a public pledge to a rival from within the conference.

Via a graphic from On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Barbour announced his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs. It is believed that South Carolina and Auburn were next up on Barbour’s list, but the Alpharetta, Georgia native elected to play for his hometown program.

After his commitment, Barbour revealed that the primary reason he chose the Bulldogs was because of their commitment to utilizing the tight ends as major players in the offensive system. His relationship with Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley and the ‘Dawgs’ on-field success were also major factors.

South Carolina football does not have any players committed in the class of 2025 up to this point in the process but has one pledge in the class of 2026, 4-star quarterback Landon Duckworth.