Patriots DT Has Eye-Popping Reaction to Potential First-Round Competition

A New England Patriots defensive tackle had an interesting reaction to the thought of the team adding another player at the position early in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Cory Durden quote-tweeted a screenshot of the latest mock draft from NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah, where he had the Patriots selecting Ohio State's Kayden McDonald at No. 31 overall in the first round, with a laughing emoji.

🤣 https://t.co/FZ7PfSgpq2
— Cory Durden (@9Durden4) March 17, 2026

It's not hard to read between the lines in terms of Durden's thoughts on that hypothetical pick for the Patriots, but would it make sense for the organization to go in that direction next month?

Patriots' D-Line Depth

Of all the areas of New England's roster that could use an infusion of young talent, the interior of the defense line doesn't exactly rank high on that list.

The organization signed Milton Williams to a massive four-year, $104 million deal in free agency last offseason, and he posted 3 1/2 sacks with 29 tackles and 36 pressures (per Pro Football Focus) across 12 games.

Christian Barmore remains a key piece of the Patriots' defense as a strong run defender with impressive pass rushing chops, and he's set to stick around after his entire salary was fully guaranteed for the 2026 season.

Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden (94) reacts after a play against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Durden, who appeared in all 17 contests for New England this past year after coming over as a free agent, is next up on the depth chart alongside the likes of Joshua Farmer, Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Leonard Taylor III.

New England also has Eric Gregory, an undrafted free agent who first signed with the Cincinnati Bengals before making his way to the Patriots after final roster cuts, but he finished the year on the reserve/injured list with a knee injury.

What Positions Could Patriots Target in First Round of NFL Draft?

While McDonald is impressive against the run at 6-foot-2 and 326 pounds, he's raw as a pass rusher and simply wouldn't provide a ton of positional value, especially when considering the talent New England already has on its defensive line.

Wide receiver sticks out as a top need, even after signing Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal worth $68 million in free agency.

The same could be said at edge rusher, as even though the Patriots inked Dre'Mont Jones to a three-year deal worth $39 million, the franchise lost K'Lavon Chaisson to the Washington Commanders while Harold Landry III raises injury concerns.

It remains to be seen how New England attacks the draft, but selecting an interior defensive lineman at No. 31 would be a curious choice.

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