Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
3 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn 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 line- man 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 Du- rant'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." 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 sign- ing 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 de- fensive 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 pe- riod that the NCAA put in place during the pandemic, Durant visited his five fi- nalists — 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 chose the Nittany Lions over Miami (Fla.) but will end up playing for Manny Diaz anyway. Shortly after he was let go by the Hurricanes, Diaz was hired as Penn State's defensive coordinator. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Lions Go The Distance To Sign Zane Durant G R E G P I C K E L | G P I C 9 2 @ G M A I L . C O M ZANE DURANT DT | 6-1 | 260 LAKE NONA HIGH LAKE NONA, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE consensus ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 305 37 34 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 36 47 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 278 21 34 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 19 36 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 50 41 STATISTICS • Totaled 66 tackles, 15 sacks, 28 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles as a senior. • Made 40 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as a junior. • Recorded 28 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and one sack as a sophomore. • Finished as Lake Nona's record-holder for most sacks in a season (15) and career (24.5). NOTABLE • Two-time team captain. • Placed eighth in Florida in the shot put in 2020. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Penn State on July 4, 2021. • Totaled 15 scholarship offers. • Was recruited by defensive line coach John Scott Jr., running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider and graduate assistant Deion Barnes. • Took his official visit to PSU on June 18, 2021. • Enrolled at PSU in January 2022. 2022 PROJECTION It's hard to make an impact at defensive tackle as a freshman, but Durant is physically ahead of most of his peers, and he's already on campus, having enrolled in January. Still, the safe bet is that he'll redshirt in 2022. THEY SAID IT Anthony Paradiso, Lake Nona head coach: "In my 23 years of coaching, Zane Durant is the best player I have coached. His attitude and commit- ment to mastering his craft are flawless. As great as he is on the field, off the field I love him like a son and I'm proud of his character and leadership. The legacy he is leaving at Lake Nona High School and the community has impacted many. He is a generational talent." BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "On film, Du- rant shows the ability to defeat multiple types of blocks, multiple types of blocking schemes. To me, the question simply is, can he get to 290 pounds? If he can, he will be the difference-making modern prototype of the three-technique defensive tackle that Penn State has been seeking for a long time … since Kevin Givens. If Durant continues to get big- ger and stronger, he can be a better version of that. That is really exciting for Penn State football fans."