Zane Durant DT Penn State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Zane Durant DT Penn State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.66 seconds (100%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.7 DOB: 05/06/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 09/21/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.66 seconds (100%*) | |
| Age: 20.7 DOB: 05/06/2004 | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 82.5 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
43% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
76% |
| Run Defense: |
|
74% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#178
Position rank:
#43
|
||
| College Games: 38 College Snaps: 974 | ||
ESPN RATING: 81/100
College Combine Results
|
||
247 RATING: 89/100
|
||
|
RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Osa Odighizuwa - UCLA |
|
60% |
| DeWayne Carter - Duke |
|
58% |
| Mekhi Wingo - LSU |
|
57% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Zane Durant, a defensive tackle from Penn State, hails from Lake Nona High School in Florida. In high school, Durant was a four-time letterman and two-time team captain. He earned Florida 8A second-team All-Conference honors in 2020 and was named Team MVP. Durant set school records for single-season sacks, career sacks, and career tackles at Lake Nona.At Penn State, Durant made an immediate impact. As a true freshman in 2022, he appeared in all 13 games, recording five tackles and one sack. In his sophomore season in 2023, Durant started 11 of 13 games, accumulating 17 tackles (12 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a fumble recovery, and a quarterback hurry. Against Northwestern, he posted three tackles for loss, becoming the first Penn State defensive tackle to achieve this feat against a Big Ten opponent since 2016.
Durant's collegiate performance earned him All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition from the media in 2023. Off the field, Durant has participated in various civic opportunities with the Gamma Phi Delta Sorority and volunteered with the Lake Nona Junior Lions football program.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Super athletic - Made Bruce Feldman's 2023 Freak's List at #38. He Wrote: "Durant is about 6-1, 284 pounds and clocked a 4.66 40 this offseason. Durant has generated some big buzz inside the Nittany Lions’ program and we can see why. He ran a 4.44 shuttle and broad-jumped 9-10 to go with a 425-pound bench. Big-time numbers all around, especially for someone who has only had one full year in a college weight program."
- Versatile alignment options allow for multiple front possibilities, enhancing his value in diverse defensive schemes
- Utilizes low center of gravity effectively to gain leverage against larger opponents, compensating for lack of ideal size
- High motor player who relentlessly pursues plays downfield and maintains effort through the whistle
- Shows good fundamental strength, particularly when holding his ground against the run
- Flashes potential as an interior pass rusher with his rare combination of quickness and power
- Showcases ability to win both through and around offensive linemen, a valuable trait for interior defenders at the next level
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks ideal length for the position, hindering ability to disengage from blockers and locate ball carriers consistently
- Pass rush repertoire remains a work in progress, currently over-reliant on natural athleticism to win matchups
- Struggles with stacking and shedding blockers, particularly against more technically sound offensive linemen
- Undersized for a traditional defensive tackle, potentially limiting effectiveness against double teams in the NFL
- Inconsistent play-to-play performance indicates need for further refinement in technique and mental processing
Scouting Report: Summary
Durant's skill set aligns with the role of a rotational 3-technique in a 4-3 scheme, with upside as a sub-package rusher. His elite first-step quickness and natural leverage present intriguing tools for defensive coordinators to exploit, particularly on passing downs where his penetration ability can disrupt pocket integrity.To maximize his potential, Durant needs to land with a team that can harness his disruptive abilities while masking his physical limitations. His best fit lies in a one-gap system that allows him to shoot gaps and create havoc in the backfield. Developing a more diverse pass rush repertoire and improving his ability to stack and shed will be crucial for carving out a long-term role.
Despite eye-popping athletic testing numbers, Durant's on-field production and physical limitations suggest he's a Day 3 prospect. Teams seeking to inject interior quickness into their defensive line rotation could view him as a high-upside developmental project worth investing in and molding over time.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
How other scouting services rate Zane Durant (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
149.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
42.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.