Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker ran the 40-yard dash on Thursday, when defensive linemen worked out at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
The 6-foot-3 5/8, 263-pound Parker recorded an unofficial time of 4.68 seconds on his first 40-yard dash attempt, and then an unofficial time of 4.73 on his second attempt.
Officially, he ran a 4.68, which ranks 10th among defensive ends who ran the 40 at the combine.
“That’s great for him. That’s a really good time for him,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said during the network’s coverage of the combine.
A 2023 freshman All-American and 2024 All-ACC selection, Parker piled up 144 tackles (41.5 for loss), 21.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and five pass breakups over 39 games (29 starts) in his Clemson career from 2023-25. He leaves Tigertown ranked 10th in career sacks and tied for fourth in career fumble recoveries, and he set the Clemson record for forced fumbles in a single season with six in 2024.
In 2025, Parker was credited with 39 tackles (9.5 for loss), five sacks, two pass breakups and a team-high three fumble recoveries across 12 games (all starts). He finished the regular season with a flourish, as he was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after collecting four tackles (three for loss), three sacks and a fumble recovery in the rivalry finale at South Carolina.
Going into the 2025 campaign, Parker was routinely projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his stock took a hit during the season as his sack production dropped from 11 in 2024 to five in 2025.
However, Parker was a big-time standout performer during Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala., and by all accounts there, he bolstered his stock ahead of this spring’s NFL Draft. ESPN’s Matt Miller pegged Parker as the “overall winner” of this year’s Senior Bowl, saying he “put himself into the first round” of the draft.
A recent 2026 mock draft from Miller has Parker going to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round with the 20th overall pick.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
