One of the most important transfer portal battles of the offseason is centered around a familiar name for Penn State fans.
Former Penn State edge Chaz Coleman has become the headline of this portal, and according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong, the interest around him is already real, and many of the top programs in the country are doing what’s needed to try to land him.
Coleman is ranked as the No. 1 edge rusher in On3’s rankings, and many other outlets have him in the top one to two. However, as we’ve seen time and time again, his decision will be impacted by the amount of money programs are willing to offer.
“None bigger than the No. 1 edge in the On3 Rankings in former Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman.
“Coleman arrived in Knoxville on Sunday night and he’ll be in town till Tuesday. On3 heard on the day the portal opened that LSU and Tennessee were pushing the hardest from a NIL perspective. Ohio State is another school that remains in the equation. If they turn it up on the NIL front we can see them getting back into it. Coleman is fresh off a trip to Baton Rouge.Coleman has a relationship with new Tennessee staffers in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and Anthony Poindexter from their time on the Nittany Lions staff,” he wrote.
That last part is important, as Tennessee doesn’t have to be all about money. Coleman knows Jim Knowles and Anthony Poindexter well from his time at Penn State, and that kind of relationship could matter when a player is deciding where he wants to go to school.
On the flip side, Knowles wasn’t exactly great during his time at PSU, even if it was short-lived.
LSU’s involvement makes a lot of sense, too. With Lane Kiffin now with the Tigers, LSU has become one of the most aggressive teams in this portal class, and many believe it has a lot of money to spend. Coleman’s visit there should at least suggest that LSU has a chance to land the top player in the portal.
Ohio State remains in the mix, but it doesn’t seem to be the favorite like many suspected when he entered the portal.