'I'm Loyal to Clemson': T.J. Parker's Commitment Carries Into 2026 NFL Draft

Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker may be taking his next steps in his football career, but the legacy he left with the Tigers will remain with him forever.

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork in Mobile: #Clemson edge TJ Parker joined the show to discuss his @seniorbowl experience. pic.twitter.com/DcB2nWGcIb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 29, 2026

Some of that legacy comes from his loyalty, staying after his sophomore season after potentially using the transfer portal following his standout sophomore season. The Phenix City, Alabama native took after a saying that his parents always said when making a decision.

‘If you have something good going on, and you ask for a situation, why leave it?” Parker recalls them saying.

“I’m loyal to Clemson. Clemson, they took an opportunity on me, coming out of high school and I believe in Coach Swinney and the development that I had with Coach Rumph,” he added. “I felt like they could push me, on and off the field, to be a better man and a better player.”

The future NFL player is turning heads at the Senior Bowl over the course of this week, being able to speak with NFL Network insiders Ian Rapaport and Mike Garofalo on Wednesday afternoon after Day 2 of practices. It could be easy to write off Parker after a quieter junior season, he says that “it’s simple” for the reason why it occurred.

He gives credit to the players around him for also making key plays.

“My junior year was surrounded by a lot greater talent,” Parker said. “A lot of those guys made plays, including in my defensive end room, we added extensions in Will Heldt, and guys like Jahiem Lawson, Cade Denhoff really improved. Those plays that they didn’t make last year, they made this year.”

It also wasn’t about the money for the standout edge rusher either. Parker’s Clemson career saw many different changes, including getting married. He credits head coach Dabo Swinney with his development as a whole, not just on the football field, retelling an anecdote when Swinney recruited him.

“In high school, he asked me what I want to get out of college, because, you know, nowadays, college is going to get everything out of you,” Parker said. “I told him every goal I wanted and he said ‘before you leave, you’re going to do that,’ and he pushed me regardless to do that, and I exceeded every goal.”

Parker came into Mobile, Alabama, this week, saying he “wanted to be consistent” and has done just that. He is one of the biggest standouts thus far and will look to maximize his entire talent in the Senior Bowl this weekend, which will take place on Saturday.

The former Tiger is the No. 38 prospect in NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 prospects this year, and Parker will look to surge up boards to be picked as a first round draft pick at the end of April.