Penn State has developed a reputation for quality defensive end play over the past decade, and Chaz Coleman is looking to become part of that tradition.
The program is currently on a two-year run of first-round draft picks, with Chop Robinson going to the Dolphins in 2023 and Abdul Carter going third overall to the Giants this past spring.
There’s a good chance that streak reaches three next spring, with Dani Dennis-Sutton a candidate to be the first defensive end off the board in 2026.
It will be a while before Coleman’s eligible for the NFL Draft, but this year will be the start of whatever his college football career becomes.
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 240 pounds
Hometown: Warren, Ohio
Before Penn State: Coleman came to Penn State after a standout career at Warren G. Harding High School— also the alma mater of Ralphie from “A Christmas Story.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Last season, his performance earned him Trumbull County Player of the Year. He ended the season with seven tackles for loss, four sacks, three interceptions, two fumbles recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.
Interestingly enough, Coleman also played quarterback for Warren G. Harding, completing 62-of-98 passes for 749 yards and 10 touchdowns and also rushing for 751 yards on 154 carries for seven touchdowns. A consensus four-star, Coleman committed to Penn State in November and signed the next month.
Where he stands: With Dennis-Sutton and either Enai White or Zuriah Fisher expected to start at both end spots, Penn State has plenty of veteran presence to where they won’t need Coleman if everything goes well. With that said, Max Granville’s injury shows that things don’t always go as planned, so Coleman is will have to be ready.
A quote by Coleman: “Well I just tell people to watch his basketball highlights and they’ll understand. I told people in the spring you don’t have to see him play football to give him a football scholarship, just watch that [basketball clip].
“He can do it all on the field. If he had been training as a quarterback since the 6th grade like others, he would be getting recruited as a quarterback. A lot of schools see him as an athletic tight end who can do different things as well as a wildcat quarterback. I see him as an EDGE. I think he’s an EDGE. That’s my opinion and people who make more money than me like him as a tight end, but athletically, he can do anything.” — Warren G. Harding coach Matt Richardson via 247Sports
