Zane Durant Drafted No. 181 Overall By Buffalo Bills
Former Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the No. 181 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL draft. Durant is the seventh Nittany Lion to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Durant played four years in Happy Valley, making 54 appearances, while tallying 89 tackles, 10 sacks, and 22 tackles for loss during his time as a Nittany Lion.
While earning playing time as a freshman, Durant broke out during his junior year, when he started all 16 games and was named the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Game three times. He finished the year with three sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
His production dipped slightly during his senior year, but Durant was still a plus for the Nittany Lions, ending the season with four and a half tackles for loss, four sacks, and the only interception of his collegiate career. Durant was voted an All-Big Ten honorable mention by coaches and media in each of his last two years in blue and white.
Durant excelled at the combine and Penn State’s pro day, showcasing his elite athleticism at defensive tackle. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash of all the defensive tackles at the combine with a 4.75-second time.
Durant is undersized for his position, standing at 6’1″ and 290 pounds. That, combined with a decline in production during his senior year, contributed to a fall in his draft stock, as he was projected to be a day-one or day-two pick following the 2024 season.
At the next level, Durant joins a loaded Buffalo defensive line room that includes Ed Oliver, Bradley Chubb, Greg Rousseau, Deone Walker, and Thursday’s first-round pick TJ Parker. The selection of Durant is Buffalo’s fifth defensive pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, indicating a clear attempt to revamp their defense.
Folks can follow along to see which other Nittany Lions are selected on day three of the draft on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
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