The Buffalo Bills finally got their name on the scoreboard while taking one off of the draft board at the 2026 NFL Draft with the selection of TJ Parker.
Parker, a linebacker and edge defender in the new defensive scheme coming under coordinator Jim Leonard, comes to Buffalo after the team traded out of Round 1 on Thursday.
Early reactions from around the football world are mostly good on the Clemson product coming to the Bills.
Parker recorded 21.5 sacks, 41.5 tackles for a loss, four pass deflections, and six forced fumbles over 39 career games. That's good production, so why is Parker not a first-round pick?
Clemson's entire football program took a rare step back in 2025. Parker was part of that, but the year prior, he had a better showing. The Bills appear to be banking on that version of Parker and the football world does not mind it once bit.
Here is a roundup of national media reaction to the Bills' selection of Parker:
.@BuffaloBills @ClemsonFB edge master; TJ Parker is a Bill ; an Buffalo Bill. hello #billsmafia #BaldysBreakdows pic.twitter.com/FPouRjlUWp
Steve and Sam break down the Bills’ buy-low move drafting edge rusher T.J. Parker“Coming into the year, we said just a little bit more juice off the edge and he can be something really good. The pad level, disruptive in the run game… at worst, a No. 2 type of rusher.” https://t.co/AW7gOTsowB pic.twitter.com/V0t55QpYQb
— Check the Mic with Steve Palazzolo & Sam Monson (@CTM_Show) April 25, 2026
Bills got an absolute steal in TJ Parker in the 2nd Round 💪 pic.twitter.com/pBIgOuJshA
Buffalo Bills - Round 2 | Pick 4: T.J. Parker — EDGE, ClemsonFull scouting report HERE: https://t.co/CP99t3hmWjStream live on @netflix!
The moment TJ Parker became a Bill 🥹🦬 #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/jebuXcWAsl
Bills select Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker with pick No. 35Parkers teams up with Bradley Chubb in Buffalo 🦬 pic.twitter.com/1jFvO4LSIM
Bills outside linebacker T.J. Parker had more tackles for a loss at Clemson than games played. Appeared in 39 straight games. 32.4% of his career tackles were for a loss. His six forced fumbles in 2024 were a program record.
"This is a team that needed juice."The guys discuss the Buffalo Bills landing Clemson EDGE rusher TJ Parker in the second round. pic.twitter.com/rLbqQZ0qFv
— The Athletic Football Show (@TA_FootballShow) April 24, 2026
Bills select EDGE T.J. Parker with the No. 35 overall pick.pic.twitter.com/LwruEVEd5b
Favorite picks of Round 2:• TJ Parker (Bills)• Colton Hood (Giants)• R Mason Thomas (Chiefs)• Zion Young (Ravens)• Aveion Terrell (Falcons)• Lee Hunter (Panthers)• Brandon Cisse (Packers• Eli Stowers (Eagles)• Logan Jones (Bears)• Bud Clark (Seahawks)
NFL Films senior producer @gregcosell on the #Bills selection of Clemson OLB T.J. Parker in the 2nd round of the #NFLDraft🔊⬇️#Billsmafia pic.twitter.com/foGw9uhdtH
Bills take TJ Parker at 35 in the 2016 draftBig powerful player, once a top 10 guyReminds me of someone else in BUFGotta find that gear pic.twitter.com/dXYM7LmEZO