DL Zane Durant excited about Penn State, but still hearing from others
Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona four-star defensive lineman
Zane Durant announced a verbal commitment to Penn State back on July 4. While he remains solid on his commitment to the Nittany Lions, he told 247Sports on Saturday that he's still keep in contact with some other schools. That's before he posted on social media Sunday that he has received written scholarship offers from Miami, Ole Miss, Tennessee and UCF in addition to one from Penn State.
"I'm keeping things open," Durant explained. "I'm not shutting down my recruitment completely. I'm still looking at my options, but I'm locked in with Penn State."
Durant, who the industry-generated 247Sports Composite pegs as the nation's No. 40 defensive line prospect in the class of 2022, was in Happy Valley the weekend of June 18 for an official visit. He said that he will return to campus for an unofficial visit on Sept. 17 when the Nittany Lions host Auburn.
"Coach [John] Scott and Coach [Ja'Juan] Seider really made me feel at home when I was there," Durant said when asked about his decision. "They also don't have a bunch of Florida boys up there, so I feel like I can bring something different and give them something that they need."
Durant added that he's pretty excited about Penn State's recruiting class, which currently sits No. 1 in the 247Sports Composite team rankings after five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers elected to reclassify and enroll a year early at Ohio State. "We're brining that heat. We're getting the best of the best. We are trying to build something special," Durant said. And while Durant seems to feel good about the Nittany Lions, he did acknowledge that one school is pushing a little harder than others for a flip.
"It's probably Miami," Durant said. "They are just trying to get me back down there for another visit. They see me fitting in their scheme just with the energy I bring as a player."
Durant says a number of folks in Coral Gables are trying to keep in contact. "I talk to Coach [Jess] Simpson, Coach Ish [Artistide], Coach [Travaris Robinson] and Coach [Manny Diaz]," Durant said. "Coach Simpson text me the other morning."
As a junior, Durant totaled 15.5 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries and 6.5 sacks for a Lake Nona team that made the Sunshine State's 8A state playoffs. The soon-to-be senior owns some elite testing numbers having gone 4.84 on the lasers in the 40-yard dash while also posting a 4.5 in the short shuttle. Durant also power cleans 300 pounds and was a state qualifier this spring in the shot put. "I'm trying to set my school's sack record," the 6-foot-1, 251-pound Durant said when asked about his future goals. "I want to do that and get a bunch of tackles for loss."
I didn’t understand that….the next sentence says “ we are signing the best of the best”…well you didn’t sign the number one QB so that didn’t make sense..
