The No. 1 player in the On3 transfer portal industry rankings is former Penn State EDGE rusher Chaz Coleman. Coleman, who announced last week his plans to enter the portal when the transfer window opens on January 2nd, has a significant tie to the South Carolina football program that could make the Gamecocks a player in his second recruitment.
Coleman spent the 2025 season being coached by Deion Barnes at Penn State. On Tuesday, GamecockCentral confirmed that Shane Beamer has tapped Barnes to be the next coach of the USC EDGE room. He will replace Sterling Lucas, who joined Lane Kiffin’s staff at LSU following four years in Columbia.
Barnes is viewed as a rising star in the coaching industry, and Coleman has a good relationship with his former position coach. Upon the announcement that Barnes was headed to Columbia, Coleman expressed excitement on social media. Several other Penn State players and commitments also shared disappointment online regarding Barnes’ exit from State College.
The industry scuttlebutt surrounding Coleman has been on Ohio State. However, his connection with Barnes could give South Carolina a foot in the door.
South Carolina Transfer Portal Resources:
Something else working in the Gamecocks’ favor is Dylan Stewart. The two-time All-SEC EDGE announced his intention to remain in Columbia immediately after reports of Barnes’ hire.
Dynamic pass rushers want to play with other dynamic pass rushers, and there are few in college football who can offer Coleman the ability to play alongside a player as disruptive as Stewart.
Plus, there has been a “proof of concept” with pass rushers having success opposite Stewart. Kyle Kennard won the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the country’s top overall defender. Then, in 2025, Bryan Thomas Jr. made the All-SEC squad.
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With Stewart on the field, opposing offenses cannot afford to give extra attention to other pass rushers. Because of that, Kennard and Thomas played against a lot of one-on-one blockers the past two seasons. Whoever lines up at the other defensive end spot for South Carolina in 2026 likely will get the same treatment.
As a player, Coleman is an explosive athlete. At 6-4 and 240 pounds, he has impressive get-off and moves with the fluidity and burst of a much smaller player. Still, he can play with power, too, and he uses his hands at a proficient level for a youngster.
Despite dealing with minor injuries in 2025, he earned a spot on On3’s True Freshman Midseason All-American Team. He didn’t play a full load of snaps as a true freshman, but Coleman showcased elite potential in his one year at Penn State.
In his limited action this fall, Coleman registered three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. According to all reports, he was also a menace at practice and was a player the Nittany Lions didn’t want to lose.
The On3 Industry Ranking’s transfer portal hierarchy lists Coleman as a four-star and the top overall player expected to be in the transfer portal. 247Sports has already labeled him as a five-star transfer.