Penn State holds off late charge from Ohio State, signs four-star DE Chaz Coleman
Penn State scored a big recruiting win down the stretch in Warren (Ohio) Harding defensive end Chaz Coleman, but his Nov. 10 decision was just the start. Just 10 days later, Coleman picked up an offer from in-state power Ohio State, and the Buckeyes rarely let top talent leave the state.
Over the course of the last week, Coleman set up an official visit to Columbus for Ohio State’s game against Michigan. Penn State was able to talk him out of making the trip and he ended up in Happy Valley over the weekend for the Nittany Lions’ win over Maryland.
On National Signing Day Wednesday, Coleman signed with Penn State, signaling a big win for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound prospect was the Trumbull County Player of the Year in 2024 and doubles as a basketball star as well. Coleman finished with 66 tackles, 10 sacks and three interceptions this fall. As a quarterback, he accounted for 19 total touchdowns and had 760 yards rushing as well.
Coleman caught Penn State’s eye with strong senior season
Ole Miss offered as a tight end off of scrimmage film in August, and the Rebels were followed by Kentucky, Illinois, Purdue, Penn State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, N.C. State, Michigan State, Florida State and Missouri. A true senior riser, Coleman didn’t earn his first offer until Akron came along back in May.
“After his film got out there more, it really took off,” Harding head coach Matt Richardson said. “He played really well this season and he’s still so raw. He hasn’t even scratched the surface. Once he gets his weight up and learns how to use his hands and all that, the sky’s the limit.
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Penn State offered Coleman back in September, as he blossomed as one of the region’s fast-rising prospects. A two-way standout as a quarterback and pass rusher for Harding, the Nittany Lions only needed four games of tape to make the leap. At that point, he totaled 28 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and four sacks. He also picked up a four-star rating from On3 as one of the cycle’s big risers.
‘A twitched-up jumbo athlete’ heading to Happy Valley
Coleman is a three-star prospect according to the On3 Industry Rankings, checking in as the No. 463 overall prospect and the No. 42 Edge prospect nationally. He’s an outlier in On3’s own rankings, checking in at No. 191 overall. Coleman is the No. 19 edge nationally by On3 and the No. 8 prospect in Ohio.
“Chaz Coleman is a twitched-up jumbo athlete,” Power told BWI after his commitment. “I think the athleticism is where you have to start when you’re talking about what he brings to the table. He plays all over the field for his high school team. He winds up at quarterback on offense and then as a pass rusher and sometimes an off-ball linebacker on defense. Immediately, you see the high-end movement skills in every capacity.
“I think 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 athlete. 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 linemen. I think that’s really encouraging.”
