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Buffalo Bills select Zane Durant in 5th round of 2026 NFL Draft

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko04/25/26nickkosko59

Former Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. His pro career can now begin!

This past season, Durant finished with 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception and two pass deflections. Over the course of his career, Durant had 89 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one interception, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery.

As a member of the Class of 2022, Durant was a four-star recruit out of Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 35 overall prospect in Florida, the No. 38 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 307 overall prospect in the class.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Zane Durant

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down Durant ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. You can read his evaluation below.

“Twitchy 3-technique with rare short-area quickness,” he wrote. “Durant’s disruptive potential is maximized in slanting/twisting schemes, where he can use his lateral quickness to beat zone blocks, slip into gaps and track down screens.

“His small frame and short arms make him a sitting duck as a static defender, though. His rush moves need to be sharpened and refined to give him the best chance of becoming a rotational, sub-package 3-technique in a gaming front.”

Zierlein projected Durant as a fifth or sixth round pick going into the NFL Draft. He did not have a direct pro comparison for Durant.

Below are Durant’s strengths as a player, per Zierlein. He also listed his weaknesses.

Strengths

  • Twitchy off the snap with disruptive potential.
  • Much more difficult to block on the move in gaming fronts.
  • Can beat lateral zone blocks and find his way into the backfield.
  • Excellent awareness to recognize and chase screens.
  • Rare speed and short-area quickness for a defensive lineman.
  • Edge-to-edge rush ability when singled up on centers.

Weaknesses

  • Smaller stature with short arms.
  • Put on skates and rolled out of gaps by down blocks.
  • Can’t play in schemes asking him to sit down and take on blocks.
  • Unable to withstand longer block engagement.
  • Lack of lever length and hand moves for early rush wins.
  • Doesn’t have enough brute strength to crank up a bull rush.