T.J. Parker

Former defensive end at Clemson. 2025: 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 37 tackles.

DE · Clemson · Jr. · #3

6′3″ · 265 lb · Phenix City, AL

CFB Index 72 · #86 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceDrafted by Buffalo — Rd 2, Pick 3, #35 overall

How he plays

Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack.

QB hurries: 97th percentile.

The full scouting read

The numbers

sacks · 2025

9 TFL · 37 tackles · 7 hurries

Best game: 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 4 tackles, at South Carolina

Statement game7 tackles · 4.5 TFL · 4 sacksat Pittsburgh (FBS) · W 24-20

Top 0.1% tackles for loss game since 2021.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former defensive end at Clemson. 2025: 5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 37 tackles.

Signed as a 4-star recruit to Clemson in 2023.
Drafted round 2 by the Buffalo in 2026.

The full story, with sources

How it ended

Three seasons at Clemson, 22 sacks — drafted at #35 overall by Buffalo.

His career

He arrived as a blue-chip recruit and played like one.

202311 games

Signed with Clemson4-star out of Central Phenix City

202512 games

All-ACC

2026

Drafted by Buffaloround 2, pick 35

Career arc

Recruit

★★★★

#50 national

CFB

College

Clemson

2023–2025

NFL

NFL Draft

R2 · #35

Buffalo · 2026

Coaching lineage · 2023–2025

1 coach

2023–2025

Dabo Swinney

Clemson

Played his entire career under Dabo Swinney.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

Buffalo2026 NFL rookie season

#35Rd 2 · Pick 3

Buffalo2026 NFL rookie season

View college career stats ↓

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

3 seasons under Dabo Swinney — 26-14 over that span.

2023Clemson9-4HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, fast tempo

2024Clemson10-4HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced

2025Clemson7-6HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

72Quality starter #86 of 420?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: qb hurries (97th percentile). Strength: sacks (96th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

QB hurries#69 / 2975 · 97th pct

Sacks#102 / 2975 · 96th pct

5.0

Tackles for loss#142 / 2975 · 95th pct

9.0

Tackles#1007 / 2975 · 65th pct

Solo tackles#1178 / 2975 · 59th pct

Passes defended#1191 / 2975 · 48th pct

Forced fumbles#36 / 687 · 47th pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	3.3	0.5	0.3	0.1
Road5g	2.8	1.1	0.6	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-76g	2.8	0.8	0.3	0.2
Weeks 8+6g	3.3	0.8	0.5	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Dabo Swinney

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2025

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

72 · #86 of 420 edge rushers

Former four-star. Now #86 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2025	Clemson	37	18	9.0	5.0	1	--	--
2024	Clemson	50	32	16.5	11.0	1	--	--
2023	Clemson	32	15	12.5	5.5	1	--	--
Career		119	65	38.0	21.5	3	--	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 12 · 2025

W 20–19

at Louisville

0 TFL · 3 TOT

A wire-to-wire battle — won by 1 on the road.

With J. Smith — -13 rush yds (1 car) · C. Klubnik — 187 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 32.6 · -6 rush yds (6 car)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week