Penn State is set to return one of its top defensive players next season. Zane Durant, a two-year starter at defensive tackle, announced on Saturday his decision to forgo the NFL Draft and play out his senior year.
Durant broke out over the course of his junior year. His 42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and three sacks were all career bests. He likely presents himself as one of the nation’s best pass-rushing tackles entering the 2025 season.
With Abdul Carter off to the NFL, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday, Durant provides some major support to a defensive line that could need it.
It remains unclear if Carter’s fellow starter at defensive end, Dani Dennis-Sutton, will return after a standout College Football Playoff run in which he tallied 16 tackles, 4.5 sacks and an interception over three games.
Dvon J-Thomas is out of eligibility, so the Nittany Lions are already down one starting tackle. Coziah Izzard has a decision to make regarding his return beside Durant. Alonzo Ford Jr. also has another year of eligibility and should make a case for the starting lineup, if he heals quickly from a season-ending injury.
Durant joins quarterback Drew Allar and safety Zakee Wheatley as the third Penn State starter to announce his return for next year. A number of other players are set to make their decisions in the coming days and weeks, most notably running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, Dennis-Sutton and linebacker Kobe King.
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