JUST ANNOUNCED: Cory Durden - Grand Marshall for Newberry's 4th of July Parade!

NEWBERRY, FL- Mayor Tim Marden announced on Monday Cory Durden, a 2017 Newberry High School graduate and 2026 Super Bowl LX starter for the New England Patriots will be the Grand Marshall for the City’s July 4th Parade celebrating America.

“He is a perfect fit.  We are celebrating America and he is a Patriot an NHS grad who everybody loves,” Mayor Marden stated. “Cory may have graduated in 2017 but its like he never left.  He is still very plugged into Newberry and we are real proud of him.” Durden recently hosted his second football camp at the Easton Sports Complex last Saturday.

Durden was drafted in 2022 by the Super Bowl Champion LA Rams, played a season for the NY Giants before landing in New England last year.  #94 recorded his career best 30 total tackles with the Patriots in 17 games played.

Durden was the 2017 TV20/Meldon Scholar Male Athlete of the Year for his contribution to the 8-2 Newberry Panther season. He played Defensive End and Tight End. He also racked up awards as the Gainesville Sun Small School Athlete of the Year (2017), Florida Athletic Coaches Association District 7 Player of the Year (2017), and was a consensus 4-Star recruit with offers from multiple Division 1 programs including Florida State where he went first before transferring to North Carolina State.  

The parade will be on Saturday, July 4th at 9am and be routed through downtown Newberry.