Defensive end Chaz Coleman was one of the most exciting young players on Penn State’s roster this past season. However, as many speculated would happen, the Warren, Ohio, native has decided to enter his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal following the coaching change.
A late-riser in the Class of 2025, Penn State’s recruiting staff, along with defensive line coach Deion Barnes, were ahead of the curve when they offered Coleman in September 2024. Under a different head coach, the Warren G Harding prospect focused primarily on playing quarterback his junior season but was never a polished enough passer to grab the attention of major schools. However, that changed his senior season when current head coach Matt Richardson took over the school’s football program.
“When I watched him play basketball, I immediately thought he was a Power Five edge without seeing him do anything on the football field,” Richardson said. “If you just watch his basketball highlight film for two minutes, you’ll see he’s a walking double-double. He’s dunking all over the place and showing his explosiveness and all that good stuff.”
Richardson turned out to be right, as Coleman totaled 68 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and five sacks that season. Despite a late push from in-state school, Ohio State, Penn State was able to sign Coleman in Dec. 2024. He eventually became one of the top-ranked recruits in the 2025 class once final rankings were released.
Coleman backed up the high expectations on the field during his freshman season, totaling seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack in the first five games of 2025.
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An injury kept Coleman off the field throughout most of November, but he did return to play eight snaps against Rutgers in the regular season finale. While it wasn’t the end of the season he was hoping for, by then, schools and media members across the country had already realized that Coleman has the potential to be a special player.
“Chaz Coleman has been one of the most dynamic true freshman pass rushers in college football this season,” wrote Rivals Scouting Director Charles Power when he included Coleman on On3’s 2025 Midseason True Freshman All-American team in mid-October.
The Penn State standout earned On3’s True Freshman of the Week in Week 2 and has continued to produce at a high level. According to Pro Football Focus, Coleman earned the highest grade among true freshman pass rushers (81.1) through the first half of the season before he missed time with what was believed to be a concussion.
He’ll now be one of the most coveted players in the portal, with many expecting Big Ten rival Ohio State to be a top contender.