Three More Penn State Nittany Lions Named to Preseason Watch Lists

Three more Penn State football players joined the preseason honor roll Tuesday, as college football's major awards announce their watch lists. Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant and guard Vega Ioane made the Outland Trophy watch list, while Durant and cornerback A.J. Harris were nominated to the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list.

The Nagurski Award, presented bt the Charlotte Touchdown Club, recognizes the nation's top defensive player. The Outland Trophy, presented by the Football Writers Association of America, honors the nation's top interior lineman.

Penn State's Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen were named to the Maxwell Award watch list Monday. Penn State is the only team in the country with three Maxwell Award nominees.

Durant (6-1, 295 pounds) is among the nation's top returning defensive tackles. Durant joined Singleton on the preseason Walter Camp All-America Team after a superb 2024 campaign in which he made 11 tackles for loss and three sacks from the inside. Durant crowded quarterbacks effectively enough to help defensive end Abdul Carter become a consensus All-American.

The senior enters his third season as a starter with 28 career starts over 42 games played. He ranked second in the BIg Ten and fourth nationally last season among tackles in TFLs. Durant has 17.5 career tackles for loss and six sacks.

Ioane is among the most intriguing offensive linemen in the country. Also a Walter Camp preseason All-American, the 6-4, 330-pound guard was Penn State's highest-graded offensive lineman last season, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing no sacks and just one quarterback hit. The redshirt junior also has become known nationally for his motion blocks.

"I tell him all the time, he's superhuman," Penn State center Nick Dawkins said.

Unbelievably dominate back to back plays for Penn State Guard Vega Ioane. His is put in motion at WR and then obliterates the DT. Next play he drives the DT 15 yards down field and buries him. All American season incoming pic.twitter.com/2Qlm1jQJvW
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) July 6, 2025

Harris, who started 15 games for Penn State last season at cornerback, returns as one of the top players nationally at his position. A Georgia transfer, Harris is a junior who projects potentially as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Harris made one interception and broke up five passes in Penn State's defense last year, which allowed just a 60-percent completion rate among opponents. Harris, who made 48 tackles on the season, could be among the best cornerbacks in Penn State history, position coach Terry Smith said.

"I expect him to be one of the best that ever played here," Smith said. "His football IQ is off the charts. He understands the game, he studies the game. He’s got all the physical attributes. He can cover, he can tackle, he can cover slots, he can cover outside guys, he can run. But I just think his IQ separates him. He just sees things in a different way than most guys. … He’s as good a cover guy as we’ve had."

Penn State opens the 2025 season against Nevada on Aug. 30 at Beaver Stadium.

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