Eagles Eye Penn State Defensive Tackle Zane Durant as Possible Day 3 Pick

zane durant, a Penn State captain and a 6-0, 290-pound defensive tackle known for winning with speed at the line of scrimmage, drew interest from Eagles staff at the Senior Bowl and could still be on the board when the fourth round opens on April 25.

Zane Durant’s size and skill set stood out at the Senior Bowl

Durant measured 6-0 and 290 pounds and played 54 games at Penn State, finishing his collegiate career with 10 sacks, including four last season, numbers he cited while talking with evaluators on Wednesday. He’s viewed as an undersized defensive tackle who makes up for a lack of bulk with quickness at the snap, a trait that showed up during Senior Bowl work with the Eagles’ defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.

Hurtt coached Durant at the Senior Bowl, creating direct familiarity between the prospect and Eagles staff; Durant said it was “exciting” to meet Hurtt and hear their interest. That hands-on exposure gives Philadelphia a clearer picture of how Durant’s speed plays against high-level competition in practice settings.

Draft timeline and where Durant could fit in the Eagles plan

NFL teams begin selecting players on April 23, and evaluators expect Durant to “still be on the board when the fourth round opens on April 25, ” which would put him in play for an Eagles front office that targets linemen on Day 3. The timeline matters for roster-building decisions: if Durant remains available into the fourth round, the Eagles could use a Day 3 pick on a captain familiar with pro coaches and whose quickness helps in sub-package snaps.

Durant’s standing—undersized by traditional defensive tackle measurements but quick at the point of attack—frames him as a potential mid-round value rather than an early-day selection, and that projection shapes how teams like Philadelphia plan discussions and meetings in Indianapolis during the combine window.

Local ties and relationships that could influence a decision

Durant grew up in the Orlando area and attended Lake Nono High, and he knows some fellow Floridians on NFL radars. He mentioned a connection to Jalen Carter, who also hails from the Orlando area and attended Apopka High, saying he had spoken with Carter once while traveling. “I was taking a trip, and I talked to him a little bit then, ” Durant said, adding that playing with someone from his region “will be a blessing. ”

Beyond regional ties, Durant’s captaincy at Penn State is a trait the Eagles value; his leadership role in college was noted as part of the appeal team officials showed at the Senior Bowl practices under Hurtt’s coaching.

The Eagles will hold meetings with prospects in Indy during the combine period, giving them opportunities for further evaluation if they choose to pursue a player like Durant during the later rounds.

What happens next: teams begin the draft on April 23, and the fourth round opens April 25, the slot where Durant is projected by scouts to still be available; Philadelphia’s meetings in Indianapolis will continue through the combine schedule as they make final evaluations ahead of those dates.