Penn State switch Chaz Coleman, the No. 1 edge rusher and No. 5 prospect total in 247Sports’ Switch Rankings, signed with Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, sources inform CBS Sports activities’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer. Coleman selected the Vols over Ohio State and South Carolina, which made a late push for Coleman’s companies.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Coleman ranks as the highest defensive participant within the switch portal. He joins the Vols with three years of eligibility after spending his true freshman season with the Nittany Lions.
A former four-star prospect out of Warren, Ohio’s Harding Excessive Faculty, Coleman appeared in 9 video games in his lone season at Penn State. He completed the 12 months with eight whole tackles, three for a loss, and one sack in that span. Coleman additionally pressured one fumble and had one move breakup.
Although Coleman is getting into a brand new atmosphere, he ought to have loads of familiarity with Tennessee’s protection. The Vols not too long ago employed Jim Knowles, who spent the 2025 season at Penn State, as their defensive coordinator.
Tennessee additionally added former Penn State defensive position coach Andrew Jackson, who mentored Coleman at Penn State, to its defensive employees.
“He is jumped off the display screen from the time I first bought to be round him, and he is made performs in video games,” Knowles stated of Coleman in September. “He is only a actually disruptive man. I feel his progress goes to have to return towards groups which might be heavier within the run recreation and extra gifted within the run recreation. We will should see how he can maintain up in that as a result of I feel he can move rush towards anyone.”
Coleman is the seventh switch to decide to the Vols in the course of the 2026 cycle and the fifth on the defensive aspect of the ball. He joins linebacker Amare Campbell and defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam as former Nittany Lions headed to Knoxville.
Coleman fills massive gap for Tennessee
Touchdown a high-caliber edge rusher was on the high of Tennessee’s switch portal to-do checklist. Beginning EDGE Joshua Josephs is off to the NFL. As is main sack artist Dominic Bailey, who performed on the sturdy aspect of Tennessee’s defensive position in its earlier scheme.
The highest two choices behind Josephs, Caleb Herring and Jordan Ross, each entered the switch portal when it opened. Herring has but to discover a new dwelling, however Ross — who grades out as a four-star switch prospect — shortly dedicated to LSU.
Herring had 4 sacks in 2025, which tied for second amongst Tennessee defenders. Ross’ 1.5 sacks do not leap off the web page, however he has loads of upside as a former top-10 prospect within the class of 2024.
In Coleman, Tennessee is getting a defender that already has expertise in Knowles’ complicated defensive scheme. He ought to begin instantly, and he might additionally show instrumental in serving to different gamers study and perceive Knowles’ philosophy as he installs it at Tennessee.
The Vols are nonetheless within the hunt for extra pass-rushing assist to fill out the ranks.
