Bills beef up their pass rush, select Clemson's T.J. Parker in second round of NFL draft
The Buffalo Bills are on the board in the NFL draft.
With the third pick of the second round Friday night, No. 35 overall, the team chose Clemson outside linebacker T.J. Parker – a 6-foot-3, 263-pounder from Phenix City, Ala., who filled a position of immediate need as the team continued to beef up its front seven.
The Bills chose Parker after trading down three times and eventually out of the first round Thursday night. They became just the second team in NFL history to do that, joining the 2009 Cleveland Browns.
Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night.
Associated Press
General manager and president of football operations Brandon Beane made his first pick, Parker, who should provide immediate help in the new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's 3-4 alignment. Parker, 21, is durable. He started 39 straight games over the past 2½ seasons with the Tigers, who brought in defensive coordinator Tom Allen last year.
Parker was coached at Clemson by defensive ends coach Chris Rumph, who had NFL coaching experience with the Texans, Bears, and Vikings from 2020-23.
Parker made an immediate impact in college, being named a freshman All-American in 2023 after having set a program record for freshmen with 12½ tackles for loss, appearing in 13 games with three starts.
“T.J. Parker is not only an unbelievable player, but he’s a great young man, son, and husband,” Rumph said. “He will be a blessing to their locker room and organization. He can do whatever you want at the highest level anywhere on the football field. Not only can he rush the passer, but he can play the run. He is relentless, coming off the edge or anywhere you align him. I can’t wait to see him on Sundays."
Parker established himself as a top draft prospect during the 2024 season, when he tied for second in the Football Bowl Subdivision with six forced fumbles, setting a program record for a single season. He finished with 11 sacks and 19½ tackles for loss in starting all 14 games.
Parker’s production fell sharply in 2025, as he finished with 37 tackles, 9½ tackles for loss, and five sacks in 12 starts. He was named an honorable mention All-ACC pick.
“I think I had a good year,” Parker said on a conference call shortly after he was drafted. “I feel like a lot of stuff on tape I’ve improved from my sophomore to my junior year. Now, I didn’t have the same amount of sack production, but ... at the same time, I put great things on tape.”
NFL draft analyst Todd McShay agreed with that assessment, writing in The Ringer that he was still impressed with Parker's 2025 season.
“He improved his array of pass rush moves (mixing in more effective swipes and timed spin moves), and his effort remained high despite Clemson’s disappointing season,” McShay wrote in his scouting report.
Parker measured 6-foot-3⅝ at the NFL scouting combine, with 9½-inch hands, 33⅛-inch arms, and a 79-inch wingspan. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, with a 1.61-second 10-yard split. His vertical jump was 34 inches, and his broad jump exactly 10 feet. His arm length and build are NFL-ready.
Parker finished his Clemson career with 41½ tackles for loss in 39 games. He made 32% of his tackles for Clemson behind the line of scrimmage. He lined up as an outside edge rusher, playing from both a two- and three-point stance. Scouting reports also look favorably on his motor, pointing to a recovered fumble during a game against South Carolina in 2025 that occurred 30 yards down the field.
Parker is adept at using his long arms to get offensive tackles off balance, leveraging speed to power to drive offensive linemen back into the quarterback. He has strong hands, but scouting reports have suggested Parker will need to develop quality counter moves against NFL offensive tackles.
Asked how he would describe his game to newcomers, Parker put it this way: “A very physical player who loves to use his hands. Doesn’t shy away from contact in the run or pass game. Very powerful with my long arms and my speed to power. I’m a guy who can change it up and use a little speed. A guy who’s going to play with attitude, run to the ball, get there as fast as possible and put the pain on somebody. We’re playing fast, physical football in this league, and I’m trying to bring the nasty to the defense.”
Parker’s run defense is also looked at as a strength.
Parker was born in Knoxville, Tenn., to Tommy and Keyana Parker. The family moved frequently as Tommy Parker served in the U.S. Army.
“My dad was always about discipline and the way you treat people,” T.J. Parker said. “So at an early age, I was always taught to treat people with respect. That speaks true volume of your character, because who are you when nobody else is watching, right?
“I took that and applied it to my life as much as possible. The stories of things my dad's seen and went through as being a leader, those growing pains and I can relate to it the same way, leading my football team, my teammates, trying to be the best leader possible.”
T.J. Parker started playing youth football in El Paso, Texas. The family eventually settled in Phenix City, which is near the Georgia border. Parker attended Central High School, where he played for former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix, the father of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. As a high school junior, Parker led Central to a 13-1 record and the 2021 regional championship, with the only loss of the season coming in the state Class 7A championship game.
Parker’s original five college choices were a who’s who of powerhouses – Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Ohio State and Tennessee. He chose Clemson, however, after the Tigers showed interest during his senior season.
“T.J. Parker is unique. He's long, he's strong. He can really, really run at his size and he's got the ability and the power to bull rush people, but he's also got the speed and the tools to be a really, really good pass rusher,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said. “He had a bunch of sacks in his three-year career, and he's still a developing player. He's a graduate in three years, which I think demonstrates his commitment and how he's managed his time and things like that to be an elite football player while also graduating from college in three years. It's not easy to do. He's a high-level talent that will be ready to play the day he gets there.”
The Athletic: Buffalo Bills draft Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker with 35th pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Buffalo Bills draft Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker with 35th pick in 2026 NFL Draft
Parker, a 21-year-old edge rusher from Clemson, totaled 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss during his three collegiate seasons.
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Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker totaled 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss during his three collegiate seasons. Kirby Lee / Imagn Images
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Buffalo Bills selected Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker with the 35th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Parker, who is 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, joins the Bills after three very productive seasons with the Tigers. He finished his Clemson career with more tackles for loss (41.5) than games played (39).
After setting a school record with 12.5 tackles for loss and earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023, Parker set Clemson’s record for forced fumbles (six) as a sophomore. He had 11 sacks that season.
His production dipped a bit in 2025, but he still tallied 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
Parker ranked No. 31 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:“Parker is at his best when he finds a runway and uses his get-off, forward lean and length to drive blockers backward into the laps of their quarterbacks. Though his speed-to-power attack is formidable, NFL blockers will be expecting it — how he develops his setup and secondary rush will determine his pro ceiling.
“Parker is still learning how to unlock counter maneuvers, but he offers a reliable foundation built on leveraged power and a consistent motor that helps him make plays as a rusher and run defender. He projects as a solid NFL starter, similar to Jabaal Sheard.”
Scott Dochterman grades the pick
Grade: AWith the switch to a 3-4 defense, the Bills needed a different type of pass rusher. Parker is a solid, productive addition who should help in that transition. Parker (6-3 ½, 263) collected 21.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss over three seasons at Clemson and set a school record in 2024 with six forced fumbles. He was a safe pick but a quality one. If Buffalo had drafted him at No. 26 on Thursday, it would generate the same reaction. That the Bills got Parker at No. 35 is an even bigger win.
Mike Sando’s assessment
The Bills made their first pick of this draft at No. 35.They haven’t picked a player earlier than 23rd in a draft since taking Ed Oliver at No. 9 in 2019. That makes it tougher to find high-end talent.
How he fits
Parker checks a lot of the boxes the Bills go for in edge rushers, and what they are looking to do at the outside linebacker spot. Parker has excellent burst, as exhibited by his 90th percentile 10-yard split time of 1.61 seconds. That is a commonality of the edge rushers that new Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s previous team, the Denver Broncos, invested in for their defense. Parker’s arm length is also excellent, and passes the threshold test at over 33 inches. Plus, Parker is 21 years old. This pick is right up Bills GM Brandon Beane’s draft alley. — Bills beat writer Joe BuscagliaDepth-chart impact
Parker enters into a Bills outside linebacker room that was clearly in need of depth, a potential long-term starter and a sizable investment in the draft. In his first year, it is highly unlikely for Parker to crack the starting lineup with Greg Rousseau and newly signed Bradley Chubb expected to take the starting snaps. However, it is expected to be a rotation, and Parker will likely see increased opportunities as his rookie season progresses. Adding to his rookie year role, rotational edge rusher Michael Hoecht is still rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles that occurred in late October, and there is no guarantee he’ll be ready for the start of the season or the impact he’ll have when healthy. The long-term vision for Parker is to eventually replace Chubb in the starting lineup, who turns 30 this summer and is only on a guaranteed two-year contract. — BuscagliaThey also could have picked …
Edge rusher always appeared to be the likeliest course of action for their top pick. It is considered a premium position, and Beane generally does not deviate from premium positions when selecting in the top 40 picks. The Bills could have gone on a bit of a road less traveled approach if they wanted to add both explosiveness and bend around the edge. Cashius Howell from Texas A&M and R Mason Thomas of Oklahoma are two players who would have done that, but both are undersized compared to how the Bills have generally drafted their edge rushers. Howell has the smallest wingspan of any edge rusher this year by nearly three inches, while Thomas has shorter-than-threshold arm length and is only 241 pounds. Instead, the Bills stayed on brand. — BuscagliaFast evaluation
The Bills added a completely necessary new piece to their brand-new defense for 2026 in Parker, and now have multiple pass-rushing assets to choose from on a weekly basis. Parker has long-term starting appeal as a potential three-down player who defends the run well, and he brings some explosiveness they lacked, too. This is likely the first of a few defensive picks in the Bills’ 2026 NFL Draft. — Buscaglia
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