Penn State’s chances of making another run in the College Football Playoff next season were boosted Saturday morning. Defensive tackle Zane Durant has stated that he will return to the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season rather than declare for the NFL draft. He made the announcement on his Twitter account. “Thank you, Nittany Nation,” his statement said. “The previous three years have been an incredible journey. I’m thankful for all of my teammates. I am grateful to [defensive line coach] Deion Barnes and [defensive coordinator Tom] Allen. I’d like to thank my father and mother for guiding me through this process. I thank God for guiding me. With that stated, Penn State, I’m coming back.”
Durant’s return will provide a significant boost to the program, as fellow starting defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas is out of eligibility. The line will still need to replace defensive end Abdul Carter, who led the club with 12 sacks this year. The defense is still waiting for a decision from defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who showed how disruptive he can be as a pass rusher by recording 4.5 sacks in three College Football Playoff games.
Durant was a big element up the middle for Penn State, recording three sacks while also assisting those two edge rushers by getting a push up the middle and forcing opposition quarterbacks to step out of the pocket. He and the rest of the Nittany Lions will open the season against Nevada on August 30 at Beaver Stadium.
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