For most high school senior football players, their dream is to continue playing in college and eventually reach the professional level. In reality that has a 0.023% chance of occurring.
But Newberry, Florida, native Cory Durden defied those odds and is now playing at the biggest stage of his career.
As a New England Patriot, Durden is playing for a chance to win Super Bowl LX.
This journey began back at home, where Durden attended Newberry High School from 2014 to 2017, where he dominated in football, basketball and academically.
He joined the Panthers varsity team as a freshman and started as an offensive lineman. Weighing in at 315 pounds and standing at 6 feet 4 inches, even as a freshman, he looked out of place.
And while many probably judged him by his physical appearance, the ones closest to him knew he was a gentle giant.
“He was a great athlete, but an even better person,” said Newberry athletic director Bryan Roundtree.
But his natural size and strength made him an integral part of the team. As the seasons progressed, he rose through the team as a respected leader.
He came in as a humble player who listened to his seniors and developed his natural leadership abilities. He quickly became a heavy presence in the locker room.
“That was cool to see, the maturity of him coming in as a 14-year-old, and then maturing into a young man who led us,” Roundtree said.
During his senior season, he earned the week-to-week team captain title on both offense and defense. He recorded 29 receptions for 222 yards and three touchdowns in the rare moments when he ran onto the field as a tight end.
But by that point, Durden was all about demolishing the line as a reckless defensive tackle.
“The man has dominated,” said former Newberry teammate Trei Leonardo. “If you go look at any of his highlights on Hudl, he is ripping through offensive linemen while they're trying to double-team him, he’s getting strip sacks, returning them for touchdowns, he is getting huge hits on punt returns.”
The players and coaching staff all made note of this mentality and believed in him every day.
Beyond his powerful presence on the field, he propelled the team in the locker room.
“He always would come to us, smaller or younger guys, and encourage us. His leadership always stood out,” Leonardo said.
Durden was the perfect example of being relentless. Every day, he showed up to practice looking to better his craft.
That mentality paid off, as he helped lead Newberry to an 8-2 record and an appearance in the Class 1A regional semifinals during his senior year.
He put his head down, pushed forward and continued his hard work without giving up.
“There are some kids you can see even in Division I that don’t really stand out, asking, well, ‘who is he?’ Cory, you knew who he was,” Roundtree said. “He affected the game in a lot of different ways.”
In 2016, coach Richard Vester had just moved from Jay High School to accept the head coaching position at Newberry.
The moment Vester saw Durden, he recognized the special talent and leadership qualities the young man possessed, certain qualities he believes define a true leader.
“How good can you make the other people around you in that locker room?” Vester said.
That is what Vester was trying to instill in his coaching as he wanted to change the culture around Newberry football.
He wanted each and every one of his players to have that thought as they ran out of the locker room on Friday nights.
“Corey may not have been the biggest guy at Florida State, but he was going to work himself into being a starter because he loved the game,” Vester said.
The Newberry alumnus did just that after redshirting his rookie season. In 2018, he played in all 12 games, recorded 22 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and ranked third among Seminoles in TFLs.
His best season followed. He played in 13 games, starting 12, and finished with 39 tackles and a team-high five sacks.
“If you want to see how the game is supposed to be played regardless of what position you play, watch his effort, watch his unselfishness, watch his mentality and watch how he encourages the guys around him,” Vester said.
Durden finished his college career at North Carolina State, where he played in 25 games, recording 58 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one pass defensed.
Highlighting his academic career, he earned First-Team All-ACC honors in 2021 and Third-Team All-ACC honors in 2022.
“He studies the game so much because he wants an edge. He wants to be able to have just a little edge that’s going to allow him to have success,” Vester said.
After concluding his college career, he looked toward the next stage, the NFL. He went undrafted but was signed by the Detroit Lions as a rookie free agent in 2023.
“He’s been cut a couple of times, but he stayed the course. He has been resilient,” Roundtree said. “Show up every day and be ready to work, and good things will happen.
After bouncing to and from practice squads and getting elevated to the active roster from the L.A. Rams and New York Giants, Durden made the 53-man roster for the New England Patriots, where he rotates on the defensive line.
The small community cheers on as one of their own represents them on a grand stage as he looks to win his first Super Bowl ring.
“We were pretty much raised on the same street; it means a lot to me, and I really hope he wins,” said Newberry teammate Tramell Smith.
Already, Durden has made history as only the second player from Newberry to play in the Super Bowl.
One of a coach's greatest achievements, especially at the high school level, is seeing one of their former players succeed not only in life but also in the great game of football.
Vester is still that coach today. If he had the chance to give Durden one final talk, it would be simple.
“I’d look him in the eyes and tell him I love him before I hug him,” Vester said. “Your best is good enough, man. Give them everything you’ve got.”
Super Bowl XL kicks off on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in Santa Clara, California.
Contact Ethan Feinberg at efeinberg@alligator.org. Follow him on X @thefeinline.
Ethan Feinberg is a senior sports journalism student and the Spring 2026 men’s tennis reporter. He has previously written stories and produced audio sessions for WRUF, covering high school football. Ethan enjoys watching and playing sports like football and basketball, working out, fishing, cooking, and having a good laugh with his friends and family. His favorite sports teams are the New England Patriots, Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, and the Miami Marlins. (Drake "Drake Maye" Maye is the GOAT.)
