Recapping defensive lineman Zane Durant's path to Penn State
Penn State fans, the following story appears in Blue White Illustrated’s upcoming Class of 2022 recruiting magazine. It features over 70 pages of analysis, bios and superlatives on the most recent class. You can order today at BlueWhiteOnline.com.
Penn State overcame distance, a lack of visits and other impediments to sign a top-10 recruiting class this year. Four-star defensive lineman Zane Durant of Lake Nona, Fla., may be the best example of the Nittany Lions using a familiar pitch to seal the deal.
Ranked as the No. 305 overall prospect nationally and the No. 37 defensive lineman in the On3 Consensus, Durant had offers from 15 schools. Miami (Fla.) was seen as the likely destination for the 6-1, 260-pound prospect.
But Penn State’s message connected with the prospect and his family. He had a good official visit and developed a bond with the Lions’ defensive line coach, John Scott Jr. Those factors enabled Penn State to fend off the Hurricanes and nab Durant’s pledge last July.
“I committed to Penn State because of the family atmosphere,” he told BWI. “I love the vibe up there. Why not Penn State? Their whole staff really bonded with me and my family while I was up there, so I felt like it was only right to commit to Penn State.”
Relationships paved Durant’s path to Penn State
Manny Diaz was still in charge of the Miami program when they were pursuing Durant. Then came a coaching change. Now, both Diaz and Durant are at PSU.
Durant’s recruitment was wrapped up long before Diaz joined coach James Franklin’s staff in mid-December. It surely didn’t hurt matters that Diaz came aboard just ahead of the December signing day, but it was Franklin, Scott and ace Florida recruiter Ja’Juan Seider who led the way. Scott in particular forged a strong relationship with Durant and his family. So, too, did graduate assistant Deion Barnes.
“Coach Scott is a real genuine man, and he has put guys into the NFL,” Durant said. “He has a history of developing defensive linemen and getting them to reach their best.”
Durant said he’s been told that he fits in best as a three-technique tackle in the mold of former Penn State standout Kevin Givens, who is now in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.
“They think I’m a great fit for them,” Durant said.
After the end of the extended dead period that the NCAA put in place during the pandemic, Durant visited his five finalists — UCF, Tennessee, Indiana, Penn State and Miami — in a 30-day stretch.
The Hurricanes had the last chance to host him, but the Nittany Lions earned his signature in December. In January he arrived on campus as an early enrollee.
“His leadership definitely stood out to me,” Lake Nona coach Anthony Paradiso said. “He’s a kid who stayed here all four years and could have gone to any of those top programs [in Florida]. … Zane stepped it up incredibly for us this season.”
Durant already turning heads in State College
Durant is listed on the Penn State roster from January at 6-foot-1, 260 pounds. It feels like a safe bet that he will be bigger when the spring roster is released, as Durant, along with fellow Class of 2022 signee and running back Nicholas Singleton, made an instant impression during winter workouts.
“We’ve had a couple of guys who stood out,” head strength coach Chuck Losey said. “Those two guys specifically, they’ve done some really good things ever since being on campus so I’m really pleased with them.
“Those two guys, they’ve really stood out since they’ve been here.”
