The power of the White Out is in full effect as Penn State lands four-star recruit after visit

Before Penn State’s annual White Out game kicked off on Saturday at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions added a big-time commit to their 2027 recruiting class, and after kickoff, James Franklin added to this year’s group. 

With Early National Signing Day approaching on December 4, Penn State added a 26th commit to its 2025 recruiting class. Edge rusher Chaz Coleman, a consensus four-star recruit from Warren G Harding High School in Ohio announced that he would be heading to Happy Valley after visiting for Penn State’s 35-6 win over Washington in Week 11. 

At 6-foot-5 225 pounds, Coleman is officially listed as an athlete, though he’s expected to become an edge rusher at the next level. He is the third edge committed in the 2025 class after four-star Max Granville reclassified this summer and began his career at Penn State this fall. Four-star edge Jayden Woods is the program’s highest-ranked 2025 commit according to 247Sports. 

Second-year defensive line coach Deion Barnes has done an excellent job attracting highly-ranked recruits to Happy Valley since taking over the job, but even before his tenure, Franklin has had a steady stream of elite pass rushers. Abdul Carter will likely be heading to the NFL after this dominant season as a defensive end and former five-star junior Dani Dennis-Sutton could potentially follow. Even their primary backup Amin Vanover will be graduating, so it was a perfect time to restock the shelves with talented young players and the addition of Coleman helps that process. 

The White Out isn’t just an important tradition for the Penn State fanbase and a remarkable home-field advantage, it’s also arguably one of Franklin’s most crucial recruiting tools and this weekend’s haul once again proves it.

The Nittany Lion's 2025 class is ranked No. 15 in the country with its 2026 commits and sits behind Ohio State, Oregon, USC, and Michigan in the Big Ten.