There were fireworks during Auburn’s Big Cat recruiting weekend, even though some of them came at the price of Alabama’s 2025 class.
Top-100 security The majority of fans were focused on Alabama commit Derick Smith when he visited Auburn, so I assumed Bama’s class would be secure for the duration of the weekend. But Antonio Coleman, a 4-star defensive lineman, grabbed national attention when he revealed that he had switched to Auburn once more.
Coleman is undoubtedly a top target for both institutions after graduating from Saraland High School. He is a potentially impactful interior defensive lineman at the next level, ranked among the top 100 players in the country and the top 10 in the state.
Coleman committed to Alabama, switched to Auburn, went back to Alabama, and is now switching to Auburn once more in less than a year. Although he is a very good talent, his recruiting is indicative of the current state of collegiate athletics and has given rise to many jokes.
Antonio Coleman may decide to return to Alabama prior to signing day in December, considering his past performance. Even though some Alabama supporters aren’t even in favor of him right now, it’s unlikely that the coaching staff won’t keep pursuing him.
Coleman is still a vital asset for an Alabama class that features just one other top-10 player in the state of Alabama, along with just two developing defensive line pieces in three-star London Simmons and JUCO Steve Mboumoua, who is reclassifying from 2024. Coleman is still predicted by On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine to eventually join the Crimson Tide’s class, though it could just be that they are still updating their website.
A rivalry inside the state that is already fierce is heightened by recruits like Coleman. Reuben Foster, a 5-star linebacker in the 2013 class who got an Auburn tattoo before deciding to sign to Alabama, will be remembered by supporters of both teams. Foster went on to win the Butkus Award, become an All-American, and be selected by the Crimson Tide in the first round of the draft.
Although Antonio Coleman’s recruitment will undoubtedly go down in history, it won’t have the same impact as that of a potential like Foster.
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