ORCHARD PARK – The Buffalo Bills have finally picked a player in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Having passing on the opportunity to do so three times at the end of Thursday’s first round, president/general manager Brandon Beane found himself sitting with the third pick of the second round, No. 35 overall, and this time he stayed put and selected Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker.
Defense was easily the No. 1 priority in this draft and when the first two picks of the round were offense – the 49ers took wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling and the Cardinals picked guard Chase Bisontis – the board was wide open for Beane to take the highest defensive player he had on his board.
The 6-foot-4, 263-pounder recorded 21.5 sacks, 41.5 tackles for a loss, four pass deflections, and six forced fumbles over 39 career games, and he did so as both a defensive end and as a standup outside linebacker.
The opinions on Parker in the draft analyst community were a little cloudy. Some thought he was definitely worth it as a late first-rounder (and he was mocked to Buffalo in several instances) with tons of up upside still to tap into. Others believed that would be way too rich for the 21-year-old and he’d be better suited as a second-round choice.
Well, that’s where he landed.
Parker’s father served in the army for 11 years and he said he was a huge reason why he has always been considered a leader on the teams he’s been on.
“My dad was always about discipline and the way you treat people, so at an early age I was always taught to treat people with respect,” he said via Zoom Friday night. “And that speaks true volume of your character because who are you when nobody else is watching, right? And I took that and applied it to my life as much as possible. Leading my football team and my teammates, try to be the best leader possible, just knowing I can lean on my dad, knowing he’s been through that in a similar fashion, and in a much rougher area than I have. Just thankful to have that support.”
What the Bills really need is an explosive, bendy speed rusher off the edge because on the current roster, that’s not how you would describe Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht or Bradley Chubb.
That really isn’t Parker’s game as he profiles more as a five-tech in Buffalo’s new odd-man front – which might also end up being Rousseau’s best position – because he wins more often with power than quickness. However, he’s also a player who can line up in a few spots across the line including as a standup outside linebacker, and versatility is always a key requisite for the Bills.
Once Parker went to Buffalo, a few picks later there was a quick run on the other top remaining edge rushers as Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas went No. 40 to the Chiefs and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell went No. 41 to the Bengals.
“Parker is an intriguing edge rusher with the versatility to slide inside,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said in one of his mock drafts. “He is a rugged pass rusher with a powerful shake/bull move coming off the edge. He can jolt blockers with his hands before separating and closing the distance with the quarterback. He doesn’t have an elite burst when rushing outside, but his quickness plays better when he rushes inside. Against the run, he can generate knock-back power at the point of attack and he’s adept at keeping opponents’ hands off his frame.”
Parker attended Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama and he played for head coach Patrick Nix, the father of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. The 21-year-old is married to Azyah Dailey who played volleyball at Clemson (2021-24).
“Man, she’s super competitive,” he said. “She played volleyball at Clemson, she keeps me on my toes, always trying to make me the best athlete in the world, as much as possible, because knowing that she could be an elite athlete in any sport she picked up. She’s helped me in this process so much just keeping me on track and doing things for me, just to really make my life a lot easier and allow me to go be the best football player I can.”
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills chase pass-rush upside with second-round pick TJ Parker
Reporting by Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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