Georgia enters their second week of spring ball looking for some new faces to step up. Not only does Kirby Smart need every single player to improve on their own, but he also needs a handful of players to become true leaders of this team.
Many of Georgia's best upperclassmen are sidelined this spring with injuries, so Smart needs to look elsewhere for his leaders right now. Sophomore tight end Ethan Barbour answered the call and already made it abundantly clear that he is ready to take on a leadership role for this team.
Ethan Barbour leading workouts. 👀 https://t.co/ccAYzFrUJE
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) March 21, 2026
Ethan Barbour answers the call and proved he’s a leader for Georgia this spring
Barbour came to Athens last year as one of the best tight ends in the 2025 recruiting class. Expectations were high for him to step in and make an immediate impact, but thanks to an injury that never happened. That injury in fact prevented him from recording any stats last season.
Barbour more than anyone else wants to have a great spring so he can be ready to play for the first time in his career. He however is taking it one step further as he was seen leading the tight ends through drills last week.
He might be the most unlikely player to emerge as a leader. Barbour is still very young and doesn’t have a resume at Georgia to stand on quite yet. But he isn’t letting that limit him as he is showing he is a reliable leader for Smart this season.
This is exactly what Smart was looking for this spring. He needs some new faces to step up and become leaders, and that is what Barbour has done. Hopefully he is able to add a productive season on the field to match his leadership qualities, but so far he is doing everything right this spring.