T.J. Parker’s path to the NFL reached its turning point on Friday night, as the Buffalo Bills picked the former Clemson defensive end with the 35th overall selection in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He becomes the third Tiger off the board this year, following first-round picks Blake Miller and Peter Woods, continuing a strong run for Clemson’s program.
Parker built his case in college with steady production and a knack for creating chaos in the backfield. Across 39 games, he piled up 144 total tackles, 41.5 tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks. He also showed a rare ability to impact turnovers, forcing six fumbles and recovering six more during his time in Death Valley. By the time he left, he ranked among the program’s top 10 in career sacks and tied near the top in fumble recoveries.
His sophomore season in 2024 was the peak. Parker put together 64 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, while setting a school record with six forced fumbles. That year earned him All-American honors and placed him among the most disruptive defenders in the country. His production in the backfield that season hadn’t been seen at Clemson since Clelin Ferrell’s standout 2018 campaign.
2026 NFL Draft: First round draft selections, highlights, reactions📸 Coley Cleary, USA TODAY SMG https://t.co/RvGW2OyZTF pic.twitter.com/s5IMnwSE0l
The 2025 season didn’t match those numbers, as his totals dropped across the board. Still, Parker made sure his final impression stuck. In Clemson’s regular-season finale at South Carolina, he delivered one of his best outings, recording three sacks, multiple tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. That performance not only earned weekly conference honors but also moved him into the top 10 in career sacks in program history.
From a record-setting freshman year to a dominant sophomore jump and a strong closing statement, Parker showed enough over three seasons to hear his name called early on Day 2. Now, he heads to Buffalo with a chance to carve out a role at the next level.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: T.J. Parker drafted in second round 2026 NFL Draft by Buffalo Bills