The Cincinnati Bengals have one massive theme this offseason, and it is bolstering the defensive unit for the 2026 season in any way possible.
The Bengals front office staff is keeping busy in Indianapolis this week during the NFL Combine and has completed multiple meetings with defensive prospects in this year’s draft class.
Adding to that list, Cincinnati has recently met with Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant, according to Malik Wright
Durant has performed well at the NFL Combine so far, running
the 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds, finishing just ahead of Southeastern Louisiana’s Kaleb Proctor by 0.04 seconds.
Durant also registered a 33.5″ vertical jump and a 9’4″ broad jump on Thursday this week, boosting his draft stock with these athletic numbers.
The Florida native and now former Nittany Lion posted 89 total tackles and 10 sacks for Penn State in 54 games over four seasons.
Durant is undersized for his position, only weighing 290 pounds, but he packs quite a bit of athleticism into his frame and has plenty of upside. NFL Mock Draft Database has him projected as a fourth-round pick this year, so this could be someone to watch for on Day 3, though his stock may have just gotten a bump with his good combine showing.
