No. 1 transfer portal player heavily linked to major college football program

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day yells for his players to stop while leaving the field following the Big Ten Conference championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Ohio State lost 13-10. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After entering the year ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, Penn State endured a turbulent 2025 season that included the firing of long-time head coach James Franklin, a disappointing 3–6 Big Ten conference record, and a late rebound capped by a 22–10 Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson to finish 7–6.

Chaz Coleman, Penn State’s true freshman defensive end, emerged as one of the program’s more promising underclass pass-rush prospects in 2025, recording eight total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries across five appearances.

However, Coleman announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on December 18 and has since emerged as the No. 1-ranked player in the portal according to 247Sports.

Soon after, reports surfaced regarding Ohio State’s interest in portal edge talent, with On3’s Pete Nakos specifically naming Coleman and listing the Buckeyes among the programs already connected to him.

On Monday, Nakos again linked Coleman to Ohio State, noting significant mutual interest and that the two sides appear close to coming together.

Chaz Coleman watches warm-ups before Ohio State's game against the Marshall University Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coleman is a Warren, Ohio, product who arrived at Penn State as a highly regarded high school prospect.

He was listed by On3 as a four-star recruit, the No. 25-ranked edge rusher nationally, and the No. 8-ranked prospect in Ohio, holding more than a dozen offers before choosing the Nittany Lions over Kentucky, Florida State, Illinois, Michigan State, Missouri, and Ohio State.

Ohio State compiled a 12–1 regular-season record in 2025, finished undefeated in Big Ten play before falling to Indiana in the conference title game, and entered the College Football Playoff as the No. 2 seed, drawing a quarterfinal matchup against Miami in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Wednesday.

Coleman’s Ohio roots, size (6'4", 240 pounds), and Ohio State’s recent success developing portal and transfer edge defenders into NFL-caliber players make the Buckeyes a logical fit.

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