Zane Durant NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Buffalo Bills DT

Matt HolderJan 22, 2026

The Buffalo Bills selected Penn State DT Zane Durant with the No. 181 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Zane Durant is a feisty and strong run defender, who can either get penetration or stand up offensive linemen to take away gaps. He was also listed at No. 8 on Bruce Feldman's list of college football's exceptional athletes, clocking a 4.66-second 40-yard dash and 4.43-second shuttle time.

However, the 6'1", 294-pound defensive tackle is undersized and struggles to win as a pass-rusher, which lessens his draft value. Some NFL organizations will be hesitant to take a smaller, two-down interior defender.

Durant entered Penn State as a 4-star recruit in the 2022 class. He had a small role on the defense as a true freshman, coming off the bench and playing in 13 games but didn't get many snaps.

He became a starter as a sophomore but still received limited snaps as a part of the Nittany Lions' defensive line rotation, which resulted in 17 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

The 2024 campaign was the Florida native's breakout season, racking up 42 tackles, 11 TFLs, three sacks and a pass defended to earn an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

Durant saw a dip in production this past season with 25 tackles and 4.5 TFLs, but he did register four sacks and two passes defended (including an interception) to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition for the second time.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Highlights

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Where He Wins

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- Durant is quick off the ball with good agility to get penetration on run stunts.

- Good strength at the point of attack to stand up offensive linemen and gain leverage advantage against base blocks.

- Plays with a wide base, natural leverage and solid strength to hold his gap when left one-on-one.

- Against down blocks or when slanting, he sinks his hips well to fight back against pressure and avoid getting washed out of the play.

- Flashes the ability to escape blocks with quickness and athleticism.

Areas of Improvement

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 01 Penn State at Ohio State

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- Durant is undersized and has short arms, limiting the amount of extension he can get on blocks and making it difficult for him to beat offensive linemen with good length.

- Lacks the mass to anchor and hold his gap against double-teams and combo blocks.

- Size also impacts his ability to win when bull-rushing as a pass-rusher.

- Stiff hips prevent him from clearing his lower half when working finesse moves and limit his bend or ability to corner at the top of the rush.