Can Clemson Tigers DE TJ Parker Turn the Corner vs. Syracuse?

Through the first few games of the season, the Clemson Tigers haven't quite lived up to their high expectations, and TJ Parker's play has been part of that story.

Clemson had tons of hype surrounding them following an ACC Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Still, it hasn't gone as anticipated, going from a preseason ranking of No. 4 to unranked with a 1-2 record heading into Week 4.

The star defensive end hasn't consistently shown the impact many hoped for, but with Syracuse on the schedule this weekend, both Parker and the Tigers have a chance to turn things around and start fulfilling their potential.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher is coming off an All-ACC selection in 2024, racking up 57 tackles, with 20 being for a loss. He also finished ninth nationally with 11 sacks and set a program record with six forced fumbles.

Parker looked to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft before the season started, being projected to New England at No. 8 and Tennessee at No. 3 in ESPN's two recent mock drafts.

According to PFF, he was also named as the No. 3 returning edge defender ahead of the 2025 season, sitting behind Texas' Colin Simmons and South Carolina's Dylan Stewart.

So far, though, this season has been a different story, as Parker has struggled to make the same dominant impact on the field that many expected, leaving fans and analysts waiting to see the player he showed last year.

Through three games this season, he has recorded 10 tackles, one for a loss, one sack and one pass deflection.

"I want to allow his strengths to be magnified. It's about how we structurally play, and we'll make some adjustments there to help him in that regard," Clemson DC Tom Allen said. "We just got to do a good job of putting him in position, obviously he's got windows one on one when we put him in that spot and that's what you try to do… creating those one on one situations, get more of those for him and then he's got to go win them."

With Syracuse on the schedule this weekend, Parker has the chance to make a big statement against a bottom-12 rushing attack and an injured offensive line.

Last season, he dominated left guard TJ Ferguson and the rest of the Florida State line, recording five tackles, 1.5 for a loss, and a sack. This year, Ferguson is still in place on a new team, but left tackle Trevion Mack, the only starting sophomore on the line, was replaced last week by NaQuil Betrand due to an undisclosed injury.

With Parker dominating Ferguson last season and Mack's return date unknown, the Clemson defensive end could have a considerable edge coming into the matchup as he primarily lines up on the left side.

Not to mention the Syracuse Orange also ranks near the bottom of the FBS in sacks allowed with nine total through three contests.

If Parker can capitalize on these favorable matchups, he has the chance to jumpstart his own season and give Clemson the boost it desperately needs. This weekend presents a prime opportunity for both Parker and the Tigers to start turning their season around and show why the hype surrounding them was well-earned.