The Buffalo Bills selected former Clemson EDGE rusher T.J. Parker with the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. At 6-foot 3, 263 pounds, Parker is a big, power-type edge rusher who also has 4.65 forty speed.
He fits well in this defense, as Brandon Beane, for as long as he's been the Bills' general manager, has preferred power-edge rushers who are more physically ready for the NFL rather than smaller, faster edge rushers who would have to get used to the physicality of the pro game.
Parker's duties, as an outside linebacker and 3-4 edge rusher in an aggressive defense, will be to sack the quarterback and use his big frame to stop the run. He will be asked to accomplish many similar tasks right away under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Let's predict T.J. Parker's stats as the 2026 NFL regular season approaches.
How T.J. Parker can perform in 2026
In his sophomore year at Clemson, Parker amazed as he racked up 11 sacks and would most likely have been a Top-5 to Top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. These stats show his capability and the talents he brings to the team. The eligibility rules state that only juniors can declare for the NFL Draft, so that meant Parker had to come back to Clemson in 2025.
Parker failed to improve on his 11.0 sack season in 2024, and it regressed to 5.0 sacks in 2025. Part of the reason for the decline was the change in Clemson's defensive scheme, shifting from an aggressive, pressure-based scheme in 2024 to a more protective, reactive one in 2025.
Still, Bills management was not disappointed to select a first-round talent in the second round and felt they got great value by selecting Parker here.
While he was at Clemson, Parker played a more traditional, put-your-hand-in-the-dirt defensive end in a 4-3 or even a 5-man front, whereas he will be transitioning to an outside linebacker/3-4 edge rusher in Buffalo.
This scheme may work better for him because the Bills will be an aggressive, proactive team looking to attack the ball and create pressure on the quarterback in their base 3-4 while switching out to a 4-man front or even a 5-man front on third and long, similar to what Clemson ran last season.
Also, he can make better use of his power and speed to use his big hands to set up the edge and stop the run. More importantly, he will still be brought in to sack the quarterback and help set up more third-and-long situations for opposing offenses.
Projected 2026 stats
If we were to predict Parker's stats based on being healthy for all 17 games this season, we would estimate he would have approximately 35-42 total tackles, given that he wasn't a full-time starter right away.
The exciting edge rusher would also have about 6.5-8.0 tackles for loss due to his powerful hands and quick burst while helping set the edge. His sack total would be around 4.5-6.0 in his first season in the NFL.
Overall, Parker would have a pretty solid rookie season in Buffalo. His best attributes would be his power and speed to sack the quarterback and create tackles for loss to stop the run. The team could then use him as a defensive end in a 5-man front to pressure the quarterback on third-and-long.
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