When the Buffalo Bills drafted TJ Parker with their first pick of the NFL Draft last month, the college game tape they saw from 2024 is what they hope to see in 2026 and beyond.

General manager Brandon Beane believes that is the player they’re getting, more than the one whose numbers dipped in 2025.

Parker, the 6’3”, 263-pound outside linebacker from Clemson, dominated in his sophomore season in college. Eleven sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles all added up to a prospect on the rise.

“I think he was just coming into his own, learning,” said Chris Rumph, Parker’s position coach at Clemson. “He had been in the defense a couple of years, so we feel comfortable. I think you feel comfortable with my coaching style.”

Parker’s production dropped in his third and final collegiate campaign, to five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. The chances for more were there.

“Just finishing. I thought he had some opportunities to probably finish off some rushes and, you know, get a couple more sacks here and there,” Rumph said. “That’ll be one of the things that he definitely is going to have to work on is just finishing.”

But Rumph has no worries that Parker will take the right approach to improving his play in the NFL.

“He’s passionate about the game. He’s passionate about getting better. Being a great teammate. Being a great role model for the community,” Rumph said. “I think the fans are going to see a guy that’s going to play hard every snap. He’s not going to make excuses.”

Rumph is especially proud of how Parker handled any setbacks along his path to the Buffalo Bills as the No. 35 overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft.

“I got opportunity to be behind the scenes, behind the curtains and see the ups and downs,” Rumph said. “I was able to witness the smiles and tears and hard work and the disappointments, and then to hear your name called [in the NFL Draft] and have your family and friends around you and then go into the organization.”

Rumph speaks highly of Parker’s versatility and the ability to defend both the run and the pass in the NFL to be more than just a guy who chases down opposing quarterbacks, but to be a well-rounded player who can stay on the field for all three downs. Playing with power to speed as a pass rusher is his top attribute in Rumph’s eyes.

“I think he will have an opportunity to just pin his ears back and go get the man with the ball,” Rumph said of Parker’s fit in the Bills scheme under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Parker moved around as a kid growing up in a military family, and Rumph credits his upbringing for Parker’s ability to deal with adversity, and his maturity.

He’s already married to a former Clemson volleyball player. He impressed at his introductory press conference after the draft, taking time to shake hands and introduce himself to every media member present in Orchard Park before taking questions from reporters.

“If you split him down the middle, he’s just a big old kid, man. Just enjoys people,” Rumph said. “I think his parents did a great job raising him.”

The ingredients for success are evident in TJ Parker. Now, it’s up to him and the Bills to make the most of it.