The defensive tackles at the NFL Combine were the first group to workout and run in front of scouts, but there is one that the Chicago Bears better have watched carefully.
Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant turned a lot of heads at the combine for his blazing speed and quickness that stood out from the rest. Durant finished first in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.75 seconds and had the fastest 10-yard split with a 1.66-second run. He was also fourth in the vertical with a 33.50" and had the fifth-longest broad jump with 9'4".
Over the last four years, Durant has been a stout player on the Nittany Lions' line and played bigger roles in 2024 and 2025. To finish his college career, Durant had 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass deflections, and one interception in 12 games last season.
Zane Durant would look pretty good in a Bears uniform in 2026
Defensive tackle is one of the biggest needs for the Bears entering the offseason. Last year's big free-agent signing, Grady Jarrett, struggled, and now reports are coming out that Gervon Dexter, the team's second-leading sack leader with six, is getting calls about a potential trade.
This has left the door wide open for the Bears to potentially target a defensive tackle in the NFL Draft at some point. Durant might end up being that solution, and Chicago wouldn't have to use a first-round pick.
Most mock drafts have Durant as a Day 2 or very early Day 3 selection. While he's got great speed, he needs some development to shape him into a pass rusher and run stopper.
Chicago is trying to add more youth on defense and get faster players on that side of the ball. If Durant can build himself up, there's a chance he could be an impact player in Year 1.
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The Bears would be wrong for not giving Durant a closer look, especially if they want to use their first-round pick on an edge rusher. Durant is a guy who can do some damage as a rookie if he is in the right system with the right coaches.