SPANISH FORT — The all-time sack leader of the Alabama High School Athletic Association is teaming up with the 2006 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year at the University of Miami.

During a Wednesday ceremony as part of Early Signing Day, Spanish Fort senior Cole McConathy sealed the commitment he made to take his talents to South Beach and play for the Hurricanes where he’ll be taught by Jason Taylor, a 15-year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer who coaches the Miami defensive line.

McConathy was previously committed to a conference foe of the Hurricanes in Louisville but said the recruitment push from the Miami coaching staff, led by head coach and Hurricane alum Mario Cristobal, made his decision a no-brainer.

“It speaks for itself and having a chance to be coached by two guys that played it; not to mention one being a Hall of Famer and someone that I’ve modeled my game after,” McConathy said. “I feel like they’re very hungry over there and want to bring some more championships back to the University of Miami.”

As a senior, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound defensive end closed his final season for the Toros with 24.5 sacks according to MaxPreps stats. That mark topped McConathy’s 22.5-sack season from last year that previously set a state record for single-season sacks.

After 1.5 sacks as a freshman and 14.5 sacks as a sophomore, McConathy became the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s new career leader with 63 total sacks. Another Spanish Fort defender, linebacker Thomas Johnston, is the AHSAA’s career tackling leader with 675 tackles between 2013-16.

Taylor’s tale of the tape

Similarly, Taylor retired as the Miami Dolphins’ franchise leader in career sacks (131), fumble recoveries (27) and longest fumble recovery for a touchdown (85 yards vs. Denver on Sept. 11, 2005) over 204 games across 13 seasons with the team. He was tied for the single-season sack record with 18.5 in 2002 when he earned the second of three first-team AP all-pro nods.

It might start to make sense why McConathy grabbed the state record this season when he revealed that Taylor had already started coaching the Spanish Fort athlete and gave him tips before upcoming games.

“We’ve even broken down guys in games that I’d be playing that week,” McConathy said. “When I was getting recruited by them, I would send them clips of the tackle I’d be working against that week and ask, ‘What do you think, what moves do you think I should work?’”

He said that experience was among the factors that led to him flipping his commitment.

“That’s what you want. That’s anyone’s end goal, this is just the next chapter of my life and I’m here to work, and this is business but it’s definitely awesome,” McConathy said. “You want to play for someone who played it, let alone a coach that played it at that high of a level.”

Smith: Really exciting for him

McConathy’s high school coach, Chase Smith, agreed that the pedigree of coaches alone is enticing to an athlete.

“A guy who’s done it at a high level, I’m sure he probably grew up watching him play, or he can go back and look at the retro games and see some things,” Smith said Wednesday. “But I think as a player to see a guy that’s a Hall of Famer, that would go a long way and playing that same position as well, that’s cool.”

With three more Toros also inking commitments in the first wave of Early Signing Day, Smith was excited to see more alumni at the next level.

“Anytime nowadays for guys to have the opportunity to go play at the next level and represent us is exciting, it’s just exciting for the kids, the family and us as a program,” Smith said. “We’re going to continue to push that and continue to have that be a priority for us.”

More Toros in the news on Early Signing Day

Spanish Fort linebacker Sterling Dixon, who led the team with 128 total tackles, played only one season for the Toros but immediately created a bond with McConathy. As an early enrollee, Dixon signed earlier this fall on Nov. 8 and joined the Alabama Crimson Tide for preparations ahead of the Rose Bowl.

“That’s my boy, wish nothing but the best for him and I want to see him do great things which I know he will,” McConathy said of Dixon. “We worked together a lot of days, a lot of weekends, early mornings and late nights but he’s one of the only people that I can call at 5 o’clock in the morning and we went and got a beach workout in.”

Another pair of former Spanish Fort standouts are set for a Toro reunion with Bryant Vincent at Louisiana-Monroe. Spanish Fort’s state championship head coach from 2010 recently took over the Warhawk program and also added a local defensive back from Fairhope in the first wave of the early signing period with Ameyr Adams.

Jacob Godfrey was on Smith’s roster last year in his first season as the Toros’ head coach and Carl Fauntroy graduated in 2022 before he suited up for the UAB Blazers.

“That’s part of what we’re trying to do in the process of giving them every opportunity and seeing that success,” Smith said. “They’re going off and coming back home, and those guys are coming closer to home and have an opportunity to play for Bryant Vincent, who we all know is a former Toro too. So it feels really good in their hands and we’re excited about all those guys.”

Next stop: South Beach

With pen to paper, McConathy felt a sigh of relief but then remembered that now is when the hard work starts all over again.

“Feels great, just ready to get down there and show how I fit in and get on the field early, that’s all that’s on my mind right now,” McConathy said.

Money quotes

“I want to give thanks to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, he’s made all this happen and I couldn’t be more blessed to be in this position. I know a lot of people have supported me throughout this,” McConathy said.

“It seems like it’s tougher than ever now, but they all know that and I feel like they’re all going to great places where they’ll be taken care of,” Smith said. “Just excited for future homes for them and honored they’re representing Spanish Fort.”