CLEMSON – T.J. Parker cannot wait to get to Buffalo.
The Bills drafted the former Clemson defensive end with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Known for their defense in years past, the Bills slipped last year and were in need of more pass rushers.
That is where Parker fits in.
“I am trying to bring the nasty to the defense,” Parker said after being drafted on Friday night.
That is exactly the kind of attitude the Bills want from the former Clemson star.
Parker recorded 144 tackles, including 41.5 for loss in his Clemson career. Of those 41.5 tackles for loss, 21.5 were sacks. He also forced six fumbles, recovered six fumbles and broke-up five passes in his 39-game career.
“T.J. Parker is unique,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said a release from the school. “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.”
Parker played defensive end at Clemson, who runs a 4-2-5 base defense under defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Buffalo runs a 3-4 base defense, meaning Parker will play outside linebacker for the Bills.
“I am very versatile. On my tape, you can see that I can drop in coverage. I can rush the passer. I can stop the run, that makes me versatile all across the board,” he said. “For me that is very valuable. I will be going into the system, and whatever they have for an outside linebacker, edge type of role, I will be able to do it.”
Parker talked to the Bills at the Senior Bowl first, where they told him they loved his tape, though the 2025 season was not as productive for the former Clemson defensive end. He had 25 less tackles, 10 fewer tackles for loss and six fewer sacks than he had in 2024. Though the 2025 campaign did not go as expected, Parker closed it with a bang.
He was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after collecting four tackles (3.0 for loss), three sacks and a fumble recovery in the Tigers’ regular-season finale victory at South Carolina — Parker’s last game as a Clemson Tiger.
Parker’s three sacks tied Chester McGlockton (3.0 in 1990) for the most against South Carolina in Clemson history, and fittingly, he passed McGlockton (20.5 from 1989-91) for the 10th-most career sacks in Clemson history in the process.
“Honestly, I think I had a good year. Obviously, a lot of stuff on tape improved from my sophomore year to my junior year,” he said. “I did not have the same amount of sack production, but at the same time I put good things on tape.”
Now it is time to show it in the NFL.
“I have a lot to learn. I am excited to get around (my teammates) and learn from them and improve my game and also be a great teammate to boost up the locker room,” Parker said.