Under new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in 2025, the New Orleans Saints improved to 9th in total defense, 4th against the pass, and 19th against the run. The most noticeable position improvement was along the edge. Chase Young, Cameron Jordan, and Carl Granderson combined for 26.5 sacks, 39 QB hits, and 37 tackles for loss. With Jordan turning 37 this offseason and still an unsigned free agent, the Saints may look for a replacement here in the draft. One possibility is T.J. Parker from the Clemson Tigers, where the Saints drafted defensive tackle Bryan Bresee with a 2023 first round choice.
It's possible that New Orleans targets an edge rusher with this year's first round pick at eighth overall. Parker isn't considered in that range of draft favorites. However, he could be avaliable with a second or third round selection.
An All-American Bowl participant out of Central High School in Alabama, Parker switched his original commitment from Penn State to Clemson to start collegiately. After Bresee and other talents left the Tigers for the NFL in 2023, Parker would step in and get immediate playing time as a freshman. He responded with 12.5 tackles for loss and a team-best 5.5 sacks to earn Freshman All-American recognition.
Parker erupted in 2024, a year ending with 1st Team All-ACC honors. He'd have 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss to finish among the conference leaders, with his 6 fumbles forced finishing second in the NCAA. Parker's production dipped a bit last season. He'd still have 5 sacks and 9.5 stops for loss despite a ton of extra attention from opposing offenses each week.
Possesses the upper body power to push blockers backwards
Keeps tackles at bay with long reach to set up counters
Doesn't have the speed or agility for backside pursuit
Must develop counter moves when bull rush is stopped
Parker's 2025 production didn't match his 2024 output, but also revealed some of his game's shortcomings. As a result, he's likely dropped into the middle or later in Day 2 unless a team is desperate for an edge rusher and there's an early run at the position. Parker does offer immediate value as a power rusher and on run defense with the upside of becoming a starter.
n Cam Jordan, the Saints had both an elite pass rusher and a strong run defender. If New Orleans doesn't select a pass rusher in the first round, the T.J. Parker offers that all-around value on the second day. With Chase Young occupying two blockers on one side most of the time, Parker or another drafted edge rusher would be able to develop while facing mostly one-on-one matchups.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Clemson Tigers edge rusher T.J. Parker scouting report