Penn State wins recruiting battle vs. Miami for four-star DL from Orlando

For all the hype the Miami Hurricanes have generated under Manny Navaro, Penn State’s James Franklin just topped him for a key recruit from the state of Florida. Penn State secured the verbal commitment of four-star defensive lineman Zane Durant, a recruit from Orlando, on Sunday as Durant was enjoying some family time on the Fourth of July.

Durant is a four-star recruit according to the 247 Sports composite rankings, and the No. 42 player overall in the state of Florida.

Durant made his commitment official with the obligatory commitment graphic posted on Twitter, and it is quite a notable one for the Nittany Lions. Durant chose Penn State over offers from Miami and the hometown UCF Knights. Indiana was also in the running according to recruiting analysts monitoring Durant’s decision.

Durant made his final official visit to Miami, a week after he visited Penn State. So whatever happened at Miami was clearly not enough to convince Durant to stay away from Happy Valley. That’s a solid recruiting victory for James Franklin and his staff, including Ja’Juan Seider and John Scott Jr.

Durant is a 6’1″ defensive lineman, so he may lack some of the size that makes for the most desirable defensive lineman, but has shown the ability to break through the line of scrimmage and create problems for opposing offenses. His strength and agility help make him a player worth watching.

the addition of Durant along with another July 4th prize in edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry, helped escalate Penn State’s team recruiting ranking for the Class of 2022 up to No. 3 in the nation, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

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