AP photo: Washington linebacker Zach Durfee jogs on the field before an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Seattle.

PITTSBURGH — Zach Durfee, a 2021 Dawson-Boyd graduate, made the next step and got drafted to the National Football League on Saturday. The 6-foot-5 defensive end was taken in the seventh round with the 233rd overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending his college career at Washington and Sioux Falls.

Durfee started his college career at North Dakota State but did not play football there, transferring to the University of Sioux Falls for the 2021 and 2022 seasons to start his football career at the Division II level.

After redshirting in 2021, Durfee played 11 games in 2022 while finishing third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with 11 sacks to be named to the All-Conference first team.

The Division II success gave Durfee the launching point to transfer to the Division I level with the University of Washington. His eligibility waiver was denied, limiting him to just playing in the Huskies’ Sugar Bowl win over Texas in his sophomore year, but he continued to step up in 2024 despite injuries limiting his playing time.

Durfee capped off his collegiate career with starts in 10 of Washington’s 12 games, logging four sacks and five tackles for loss with a forced fumble. He also received the university’s Don James Perseverance Award at Washington’s postseason awards banquet.

Jacksonville went 13-4 last season, winning the AFC’s South Division and earning the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. He will be joining a defensive line that includes former pro bowler Josh Hines-Allen and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker, as well as another pair of 2026 draftees Wesley Williams and Albert Regis.

Durfee was a 2021 Independent All-Area first team, and he was also a basketball standout at Dawson-Boyd High School.