Covington has been with the organization since 2017.

As Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots continue to put together their new coaching staff, a favorite for the defensive coordinator role has emerged.

According to Sports Illustrated, current defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington stands as “a strong favorite” to serve as Mayo’s defensive coordinator.

Covington joined New England’s staff as a coaching assistant in 2017 and has since served numerous roles on the defensive side of the ball. His defensive line unit — which he has worked with since 2020 — was the Patriots’ best this past season.

The 34-year old has established himself as one of the top up-and-coming defensive names in football during his time in New England. Covington received defensive coordinator interviews last offseason with the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers after he served as the American roster’s defensive coordinator at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Beyond Covington, New England has interviewed a handful of names for the open position. That list includes Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, Denver Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker, and New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges.

According to Sports Illustrated, Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander can also be added to the list. Beyond the past two years in Pittsburgh, the former safety also worked with defensive backs under Brian Flores in Miami from 2020-21.

While Covington is ultimately the favorite for the position, New England could still eventually look to add others they interviewed as positional coaches to the staff — with Sports Illustrated naming Parker and Alexander specifically as names to watch.