Antonio Coleman played his best football in the biggest moments in 2022, according to Saraland head coach Jeff Kelly.

The 6-foot-2, 279-pound sophomore defensive lineman is now reaping the rewards of that success.

Coleman received an Alabama offer over the weekend on a visit to Tuscaloosa.

“It means a lot,” he told AL.com this week. “Since I was a kid, Alabama always was my favorite team. That offer really sent a lot of emotions through my body. I’m very happy.”

Coleman helped Saraland to a 14-1 record and the Class 6A state title this past fall. He finished the season with 69 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hurries.

“He’s a very disruptive player,” Kelly said. “He’s still a young player, still learning, still growing. … He’s really a big reason we were able to have the success we did.”

Though he said his recruitment would remain open and he wasn’t ready to commit, Coleman said he liked everything he saw on his visit to Tuscaloosa.

“It was great,” he said. “I like the strength and conditioning coach. I like how he does things. Coach (Freddie) Roach has a good personality. He knows when it is time to work and time for business. The school, in my opinion, is great in all aspects.”

The 16-year-old Coleman is part of a talented sophomore class at Saraland that includes Alabama commit and reigning Mr. Football Ryan Williams, quarterback K.J. Lacey, running back Santae McWilliams and wide receiver C.D. Gill.

“When you look at those guys in that 2025 class from Ryan to Santae to K.J. to Tony to C.D. Gill, it’s pretty special,” Kelly said. “And those are just the guys everyone knows about. There are another 3-4 guys that I think people will know about if they have a good spring.

“It’s a really talented group of players. It’s also a hard-working group of guys who are also great students. They are not just great at football, but they do all the other things right as well. It’s probably one of the groups with the highest football IQ I’ve ever had, regardless of classification.”

Coleman’s offer list also includes Tennessee, UAB, Memphis, Liberty and Marshall.

“He plays nose for us predominately,” Kelly said. “He could also play on the edge, but most of the time he is in the middle get double teamed and having to fight through that. Antonio has a tremendous first step getting off the ball.

“He’s able to do a great job and play with quickness. When you do that as a big guy with strength and power, it’s hard to deal with. He’s a high motor guy who will just continue to improve. He’s an A, B student and a guy you can’t help but pull for because of the kind of young man he is and how he works.”

Coleman said he is working specifically in the offseason to improve his pad level and footwork. Coleman and the Spartans will host Enterprise in a spring game on May 18. Kelly said he doesn’t believe his young team faces any additional pressure coming off its first state championship.

“Heck, we don’t think about that a whole lot,” he said. “Every time we go play, there is pressure. I don’t think it will increase based on someone’s offer sheet. We put pressure on ourselves to go play at a high level, and we have to continue to have that edge to play the right way and compete the right way.

“We’ve had a great level of success, and we know we are going to have a target on us. I think we understand that, and I think we are good with it.”