Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
3 0 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 5 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P enn State scored a big recruit- ing win down the stretch when it landed Warren (Ohio) Harding defen- sive end Chaz Coleman, but his Nov. 10 decision was just the start. Ten days after his commitment, Cole- man picked up an offer from in-state power Ohio State. The Buckeyes rarely let top talent leave the state, and when Coleman set up an official visit to Co- lumbus for the Michigan game, a flip looked imminent. But Penn State was able to counter, and Coleman never made that trip. Instead, he attended Penn State's regular-season finale against Maryland and signed with the Nittany Lions in December. It was a huge win for James Franklin and defen- sive line coach Deion Barnes. Penn State was among the first big schools to extend a scholarship offer to the fast-rising prospect, doing so in September. A two-way standout as a quarterback and edge rusher for Hard- ing, Coleman finished as the Trumbull County Player of the Year and an All- Ohio selection with 10 sacks. After seeing tapes of four games, the Nittany Lions made the leap. They weren't alone. "After his film got out there more, it really took off," Harding head coach Matt Richardson said. "He played re- ally well this season, and he's still so raw. He hasn't even scratched the sur- face. Once he gets his weight up and learns how to use his hands and all that, the sky's the limit." Coleman's athletic ability shows up in a big way not only on the football field, but also the basketball court. He earned conference player of the year honors on the hardwood as a senior, showcasing his leaping ability with a highlight reel of dunks. His elevation on the recruiting scene coincided with a rise in the recruiting rankings last fall. Coleman ended as a four-star prospect on three services and finished at No. 136 overall in On3's final rankings. "Chaz Coleman is a twitched-up jumbo athlete," said Charles Power, On3's director of scouting and rank- ings. "I think the athleticism is where you have to start when you're talk- ing about what he brings to the table. He plays all over the field for his high school team. He winds up at quar- terback on offense and then as a pass rusher and sometimes an off-ball line- backer on defense. Immediately, you see the high-end movement skills in every capacity. "What jumps out to me about Chaz Coleman is just how loose and fluid he is, in addition to being explosive. You can just tell he's a natural ath- lete. He changes directions really well and shows signs of outstanding bend around the edge when he's rushing the passer. He can really dip his shoulder well and get underneath offensive line- men. That's really encouraging." — Sean Fitz DE | 6-4 | 220 Warren G. Harding Warren, Ohio Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★★ 202 25 8 On3 ★★★★ 136 17 5 247Sports ★★★★ — 27 10 ESPN ★★★★ 217 11 8 Rivals ★★★ — 17 17 Statistics • Finished with 66 tackles, 10 sacks and 3 interceptions last fall • As a quarterback, accounted for 19 total touchdowns and had 760 yards rushing Notable • Was the Trumbull County Player of the Year in 2024 • Earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior • Named the All-American Conference Player of the Year as a senior in basketball Recruitment • Offered by Penn State in September 2024 and committed on Nov. 10 • Was offered by Ohio State 10 days after committing, but the Nittany Lions held off the Buckeyes late • Officially visited on Nov. 9 • Recruited by defensive line coach Deion Barnes 2025 Projection Coleman came out of nowhere after only picking up his first scholarship offer last May. Schools recruited him as both a tight end and defensive end. He's raw, but his athleticism shows up both on the field and on the basket- ball court. Coleman won't arrive at Penn State until the summer, and while the staff is excited about his potential, he will likely need time to develop into a Power Four defensive end. All the elements of his development make Coleman one of the highest-ceiling players in the class, but he's likely set for a redshirt year this fall. They Said It Penn State head coach James Franklin: "Chaz is a guy that we took late in the process out of Ohio. It came down to a battle between us and Ohio State. He was a guy that played quarterback as a junior. He's a high-level bas- ketball player as well with tremendous length and athleticism. We think he has a chance to be very, very special." Coleman committed to PSU in early November, and the Nittany Lions fended off a late attempt by Ohio State to get him to reconsider. PHOTO COURTESY ON3 CHAZ COLEMAN 'Twitched up' defensive end set to intensify Penn State's pass rush T H E C O L E M A N F I L E