2025 4-star DL Ethan Utley announces top five schools

Nashville (Tenn.) Ensworth four-star defensive lineman Ethan Utley recently received his 40th offer. Shortly after hitting this milestone, the 6-foot-3.5, 275-pound recruit decided to cut his list down to five schools. 

Utley announced on Christmas Day that his finalists are Michigan, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Tennessee and Texas. He has seen the Volunteers around 10 times, the Wolverines and Longhorns twice and the Sooners once. 

“I think the relationships I’ve built with the coaching staffs at these schools are what stands out to me, as well as how I have that family feeling in all five of these places,” Utley told On3. “I know that when decision time comes and I pick a school out of these five, my heart will feel at home.” 

At the moment, Utley believes that he will commit before taking his official visits in the summer. He is currently in the process of deciding where to take trips in the upcoming weeks. 

The No. 2 player in Tennessee is already one of the most coveted juniors in the country. As a result, he knows what he wants in a school.

 “What matters most to me are relationships and the history of a program, such as the production of the defensive line coach and the EDGE coach of whatever school I choose,” said Utley, the No. 43 overall prospect and No. 7 defensive lineman in the 2025 On300. “The connection I have is important too, where I can pick up the phone and call whatever head coach or position coach at these five schools. It’s about how comfortable I am talking with them and where it doesn’t feel like I’m being recruited anymore when I speak with them. It feels like I’m a part of their team.” 

Utley breaks down his top five schools

Michigan: “With Michigan, it’s mainly history and how me and coach (Mike) Elston can be able to sit back and enjoy a laugh with each other… When he’s come to see me at school and I’ve gone up there, he’s been excited to see me. Knowing all the things they’ve gone through, like with coach (Jim) Harbaugh being suspended for some games and the team still being able to pull through with some big-time wins over Ohio State and Penn State, seeing those things allows me to know that the program is going in the right direction.

They’ve been in the College Football Playoff for three straight years and they are the winningest program in the history of college football. Additionally, one of my closest and lifelong friends – Mason Curtis – is going up there. I know how his mom is, I know how his family is, I know how he is and knowing that me and him have some similarities, it could make Michigan a high contender.” 

Oklahoma: “Since they offered me my sophomore year, that relationship has been on a constant upswing with coach (Todd) Bates and coach (Miguel) Chavis. Coach Bates is kind of like a big brother, as he can be more serious with you, and Coach Chavis always brings the energy that I enjoy and then, coach (Brent Venables) is a really inspirational coach. He believes in the team and being all in. They have a staff with a heavy defensive mindset over there… How they were able to beat Texas this year was impressive and it showed me that they can pull off big wins like that, even though they took some tough losses this year.

They’re going to rebuild again after losing their quarterback to the portal and I know that that program is constantly going up since that staff got there. That’s the reason they made my top five. My relationships with Coach Bates and Coach Chavis, as I said, are off the charts and those are some of the best relationships I have in college football.” 

Syracuse: “They jumped in late in my recruiting process, but I trust coach (Elijah Robinson) if I were to choose Syracuse today. I trust that Coach E would get me to my goal of being in the NFL and I know that coach Fran Brown is building such an incredible staff up there and Syracuse is going to be taking the right steps in the right direction. That’s one of the things that stands out about that program… I have an at-home feeling being around Coach Nick Williams and Coach E.

That’s one of the things I couldn’t forget and that’s why they made the list… I also know the success that Coach Brown’s had at Georgia by winning multiple national championships and that he has a winning mindset. Also, I like the energy that coach Williams brings and how he develops his players and the relationship that I saw between him and Coach E that they had while they were at (Texas) A&M together.” 

Tennessee: “When it comes to the defensive class for Tennessee, I know they have commits right now and I’m really close friends with them. I feel as if I’m who they want to be their head captain for the defense in the 2025 class. Coach (Josh) Heupel takes the time to talk with me about everything. He takes time out of his day to talk with my mom. Additionally, my mom’s had a relationship with coach (Rodney) Garner for years and I’ve built a relationship with him over the years.

Also, it’s the small things, like connecting with the people around campus, connecting with the other recruits they’re bringing in and knowing a lot of people at Tennessee. Tennessee feels like home and I know that I have plenty of friends there and people that have trusted Tennessee’s process of going into their system and knowing that they’re going to buy in up there.” 

Texas: “I have close relationships at Texas with Coach (Bo) Davis, Coach (Steve Sarkisian) and Coach (Blake) Gideon. Those are my guys. When I go down there, I have nothing but fun with them… Coach Davis’ demeanor off the field is like a dad. He’s going to expect nothing but the best from you from the classroom to being a man in life. As soon as you get on that field, nothing drops the expectation. He knows what you’re capable of and he’s going to bring it out of you, no matter if you like it or not.

Then, I’m not an offensive player, but seeing the play-calling that coach Sarkisian has is impressive. They put up almost 50 points in the conference championship game against Oklahoma State. Seeing things like that and finding their way back into the College Football Playoff after taking a tough loss to Oklahoma earlier in the season shows the adversity the program went through and that they kept on pushing. Also, Texas is getting players from the portal, but you don’t see a lot of their players going into the portal, which speaks to the team’s camaraderie and how much they respect their coach.”