Why the Ohio State Buckeyes could sign Penn State star Chaz Coleman

Penn State has continued to lose recruits, and Ohio State should swoop in on the latest one.

Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheer during the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

An eye-catching, young defensive star has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

and the Ohio State Buckeyes are more than likely going to be keeping an eye on him.

On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Penn State Nittany Lions got the unfortunate news that true freshman edge rusher Chaz Coleman was entering the Transfer Portal. The news comes just months following the program's decision to move on from head coach James Franklin in the middle of the season. Many 2026 recruits and current players decided to part ways with the Nittany Lions, with Coleman becoming the most recent.

However, there's a connection to the State of Ohio that may end up dragging him back to a Big Ten program, one that calls Columbus home. Coleman is a native of Warren, Ohio, a city roughly two hours Northeast of the state's capital.

BREAKING: Penn State true freshman EDGE Chaz Coleman plans to enter the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3sports

The 6’5 245 EDGE will have 3 years of eligibility lefthttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/TRcspPN4QR

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 18, 2025

Coming out of high school, he already showed signs of being a first-year starter for any team in the country.

Prior to playing college football, his senior season of high school ball saw him total 68 tackles, 16 for a loss and five sacks. He drew immediate attention from Big Ten programs, including Ohio State, before deciding to commit to Penn State.

In 2025, Coleman led all freshman edge rushers with a 90.6 pass rush grade, making him one of the most sought-after defensive studs in the game. He finished the regular season with nine games played with eight total tackles, three for a loss and one sack. He also made his impact known in other ways with one pass deflection, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

For a 6-foot-4, 240-pound freshman, Coleman had to find ways to make his impact known, and when called upon, he did just that.

While injuries did have an impact on his playing time in November, he still has plenty of time to make up for the snaps missed. He has an incredibly high ceiling, especially given that he has three seasons of eligibility to continue developing and improving his game.

Being from Ohio, and due to the Buckeyes showing interest prior to his commitment to the Nittany Lions, Ohio State has emerged as a legitimate possibility for where he will end up continuing his college career.

The portal does not officially open until the New Year on Jan. 2, 2026, giving the Buckeyes a chance to consider his fit with the program. While they'll continue to survey all the players in the portal, they'll more than likely at least show a lot of interest in Coleman specifically, and it would be surprising to see him end up elsewhere.