The Football Writers Association of America curated watch lists for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy and 2025 Outland Trophy and released them on Tuesday, July 29. Alongside Penn State football's A.J. Harris and Vega Ioane for the two awards, respectively, defensive tackle Zane Durant earned a spot next to them on both lists.
The defensive tackle had a breakout season in 2024-25, earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention for a second consecutive season. He came to Penn State as a three-star recruit, but proved to be an essential asset for the Nittany Lions. Durant's return to Penn State for his senior year, which he announced in January, was one of many notable returns for not head coach James Franklin but across the country.