Penn State football: True freshman DT Zane Durant could compete for playing time
Referencing defensive tackle Zane Durant, one of the Penn State Nittany Lions generating the most buzz this offseason, James Franklin drew a comparison.
Durant, Franklin said, reminds him a lot of former Nittany Lion Kevin Givens, who now plays with the San Francisco 49ers.
Neither are the biggest defensive linemen you’ll ever come across. Durant weighs in at 6-foot-1, 265 pounds. Both showcased a level of strength above what you might expect for their size.
There is one key difference, however. Givens didn’t play in 2015, his true freshman season. Durant has a chance to see the field.
“If he keeps trending the way he is right now, I think he’s going to have the chance to compete for playing time as a true freshman at D-tackle, which is unusual,” Franklin said Monday.
Certainly, Durant garnered some excitement when he committed to Penn State on July 4, 2021. Out of Orlando, Florida, The On3 Consensus ranked Durant as the No. 306 overall prospect in the 2022 class, and the No. 38 defensive lineman.
Still, the impression he’s made since enrolling in January has been striking, to say the least.
Defensive line coach John Scott Jr. named Durant the top competitor of the day twice during Penn State’s on-field winter workouts.
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Along with true freshman running back Nick Singleton, he drew praise from strength coach Chuck Losey for his performance in the weight room, too.
“Those two guys, specifically, they’ve done some really good things ever since being on campus,” Losey said. “So I’m really pleased with them.”
Crucially, Durant has steadily added weight over the course of the offseason.
On3 listed him at 255 pounds as a prospect. By the time he arrived at Penn State in January, he weighed 260 pounds. Now, Durant is up to 265.
“He’s been able to put on size already,” Franklin said. “I think he’s above 265 pounds already. I think that’s going to continue to trend, and he’s carrying it extremely well.”
Ultimately, the adjustment to life at Penn State has been smooth.
“He’s just really adjusted well in a short period of time,” Franklin said. “He hasn’t shown signs of homesickness. He’s hilarious. You guys are going to love getting to know him. He is hilarious. Mom and dad are hilarious.
“I don’t think the weather has affected him one bit, and as you know, when those guys show up in January, they’re right in the middle of it. I’ve seen him in shorts more times than I’ve seen him not, and a kid out of Florida, that’s interesting.”
