True freshman Chaz Coleman got to campus in May and only has one season of playing defensive end on his high school resume, but if there's one thing Penn State football fans shouldn't do it's underestimate him.
"He's crazy athletic, explosive," defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said after Tuesday's practice, according to Lions247. "For a freshman, he plays really hard. Like he plays to the echo of the whistle, chases the ball all over the place. I call him the Chazmanian Devil."
Coleman enters his first collegiate season already building up his six-foot-four-inch frame. Franklin said on Tuesday that he's gained 25 pounds and is up to 250 pounds since getting to Penn State and that's only the foundation.
"I think we're all surprised," Franklin said of Coleman's instant talent on the field to 247Lions. "I mean, we knew he was a talent, right? He's tall, long, athletic, high-level basketball player, quarterback . . . We still didn't know what we were going to get, because he only played one year of defensive end. It's a long way from the quarterback position. But his physicality and his explosiveness and his motor has been impressive."
Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zuriah Fisher are the only defensive ends with Big Ten experience. Enai White, a Texas A&M transfer, is also catching attention as he underwent a huge body transformation in the offseason and will be essential to Knowles' defensive scheme in one way or another. White's versatility may lead him to play defensive tackle.
Coleman is on the right path to log early playing time. The combination of Abdul Carter, Amin Vanover, and Smith Vilbert's absences after 2024 and Max Granville's current injury opens up a lot of doors for the true freshman to see the field.
"[Coleman] loves the game," defensive tackle Zane Durant said on Tuesday. "He plays fast, he's violent. He's got a bright future ahead of him. He asks a lot questions and goes out of his way to study the playbook as much as he can because that's a weak area for young guys. He takes that seriously."
His early performance just in training camp has made offensive players tell former Penn State offensive tackle Landon Tengwall that Coleman's path is on a trajectory to get put up with talents, like Carter and Chop Robinson, once he develops and puts all the pieces together.
"Talk about a fluid pass rusher . . . One of the best spin moves I've seen in a long time," Landon Tengwall said on his podcast. ". . . his tool belt of pass rush moves is flat-out impressive and it's only gotten better."
Coleman's explosion off the snap is natural and allows him to get straight down. His ability to plant his feet and bend makes it easy for him to get into the quarterback's face without taking extra, valuable seconds to curve around. It's something the Nittany Lions saw in Carter and will soon see Coleman produce at a collegiate level.
On top of his natural pass rush abilities, Coleman's height and mobility will make him difficult to match up against. As Franklin said on Tuesday, 250 pounds is just the minimum, so the strength and build is still underway for the true freshman. Having that foundation to control his body now and extend without risking injury is impressive for a young, slimmer defensive end.
"[Coleman] is a freak athlete," offensive tackle Drew Shelton said after practice. "He's quick, moves very well, explosive off the ball. I think one of the biggest things is that we just don't really know him yet. It's a lot harder to block someone when you don't really know what they're about to do, so that definitely helps him. But he's a freak. He does everything really well."
The Nittany Lions hit big with Coleman's commitment in Nov. 2024 that he stuck out with all the way to Signing Day. Despite a big push from Ohio State, the Buckeyes weren't taking the Warren, Ohio defenseman from head coach James Franklin. Coleman is part of the top ceiling of class of 2025 recruits, one that has serious NFL Draft potential early on.
Even so, he remains humble. In the locker room, he picks up after others, keeping the facility in order and clean once every other Nittany Lion called it a day. Among other freshmen when Franklin asked if they see themselves playing right away or being redshirted, Coleman placed himself right in the middle. Everyone else in his class, the coaching staff, and veteran defenders know he's selling himself short.
"He's very mature for his age, and he wants to learn," Knowles said. "He doesn't like making mistakes. He's smart, so he's a guy that can help us."
Penn State has an elite talent on the rise and a class act in its locker room. Expect to see the Chazmanian Devil on the field soon.