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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might take a defensive player in the first round of this year's NFL draft, and recent mock drafts have the team targeting an edge rusher. 

In free agency so far, Tampa has signed a backup end in Al Quadin-Muhammed, who had 11 sacks for the Detroit Lions last season. 

So there's a chance the Buccaneers will prioritize an edge rusher of the future in the 2026 draft.

In the meantime, Bucs Roundtable will take a closer look at a range of prospects headed for the 2026 draft that might jell with Tampa Bay's current roster, coaching staff, and the team's X's and O's strategies.

Bucs Roundtable has been studying the tape on top defensive talent that might interest the Buccaneers, including defensive ends Cashius Howell from Texas A&M and Miami Hurricane Akheem Mesidor, as well as elite linebackers like Indiana's Aiden Fisher and Georgia's CJ Allen. As the Bucs add depth in their secondary, available star prospects include cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun out of Ohio State, Arizona's Treydan Stukes, South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter. 

Offensive role players will also be a focal point for Tampa Bay, and our draft profiles feature offensive linemen like Penn State's Vega Ioane, as well as center Trey Zuhn III out of Texas A&M; tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon; and Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst.

Here, we take a closer look at Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker.

Havoc Wrought … in the Past

Something that sticks out about Parker is his ability to create turnovers. In 2024, he forced six fumbles, ranking among the nation's leaders. This past season, he recovered three fumbles, which were the most of his career.

One of those forced fumbles in 2024 happened at Pitt, in a game in which he had four sacks, showing his elite ability to get to the quarterback.

Background & Clemson Career

Parker came to Clemson after a standout career at tiny Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, just strides away from the Georgia state line. A four-star recruit who 247sports had as the No. 43 player in the country, Parker initially committed to Penn State. But within a few months, Parker signed with Clemson instead.

He became a contributor right away as a true freshman, ending 2023 with 5.5 sacks. The next season would be his most productive. Parker established himself as one of the best defensive ends in the country, ending 2024 with 11 sacks (third-most in the ACC), forcing six fumbles and helping Clemson to an ACC title.

2025 didn't go as well for Clemson, or Parker. 

On-Field Strengths

Along with Parker's abilities as a pass rusher, he can also defend the run.

Pro Football Focus gave him run-stopping grades of 83.2, 79.4 and 77.5 in his three seasons at Clemson. In 2024 — Parker's best season — he ended the year with 19.5 tackles for loss, ranking fifth in the country, and had 29 stops.

Parker's ability to create turnovers and generate sacks/tackles for loss also speaks well for his motor. He played in 71 percent of Clemson's snaps in 2024, showing himself as a three-down edge rusher.

At 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds, Parker also has an ideal build for an NFL defensive end.

Areas for Improvement

Parker's 2025 wasn't as productive statistically as his 2024 was. Playing in all 12 of Clemson's regular-season games, Parker ended the year with five sacks (down from 11), 9.5 tackles for loss (down from 19.5) and zero forced fumbles (down from six). Clemson's team as a whole underachieved, finishing 7-6 and losing to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl. (Parker opted out of the game to focus on the draft).

Parker's stature is a benefit for a defensive end, but that upside will need more development at the next level. In college, Parker sometimes struggled in bending and chasing down runners from behind.

For one scout, Parker's struggles in 2025 were a result of his not responding well to his excellent 2024.

"I felt like he saw more attention (in 2025) and didn’t always respond well," an anonymous NFC scouting director told NFL.com.

Parker will receive a lot of attention from NFL teams. It remains to be seen how he will respond to that.  

Combine Performance

At the NFL combine in Indianapolis this past February, Parker showed his raw speed, running a 4.68 40-yard dash. (The average is roughly 4.75 to 4.83 seconds.) Parker's vertical jump was 34 inches (the NFL average is 35.5 to 38.5 inches for a defensive end), and his broad jump was 10 feet (average is roughly 9.8 inches for his position).

NFL.com gave Parker a total combine score of 78, which ranked seventh among defensive-end prospects in the Class of 2026. 

Prospect Draft Position

Parker is projected to go in the first round, with the Mock Draft Database having him as the No. 26 overall prospect. Would it be a reach for the Bucs to take him at No. 15? Maybe. But Parker's run defense and high football IQ could make him an intriguing fit in Tampa coach Todd Bowles' scheme.

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