Zac Taylor Fires Up Draft Call With Cincinnati Native Brian Parker, Cements Sixth-Round Pick

The Bengals dialed up Brian Parker II with the 189th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday. The Cincinnati native is returning home after starring in the tackle spot at Duke, but he figures to play all over in the NFL.

He's started 33 games at Duke over the past three seasons and was a Third-Team Associated Press All-American this past season after starting every game. In 2024, Parker was a Second-Team All-ACC performer.

He played high school ball at St. Xavier High School in the Queen City.

Hometown Kid

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Anderson Castle (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Brian Parker II (53) during the second half against North Carolina at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

It's another drop in the trench bucket for Cincinnati, which has gobbled up four of its draft picks so far across both sides of the ball (Dexter Lawrence, Cashius Howell, Connor Lew, and Parker). NFL champions are born in the trenches, and the Bengals are respecting that this draft cycle.

Assistant general manager Steven Radicevic broke down how the Bengals approached today's draft board. They ended up trading Pick 110 and 199 to the Jets for picks 128 and 140. Parker's pick kept its powder dry.

"When we went into it this morning, you're looking at the fourth round, and you have 32 or so players that you have stacked up, and you feel like all 32 of those players can help you," Radicevic noted this afternoon. "They're not all in the same position, but you feel like they can help you this year. And then you know, after that round, there might be a dip. And so when you have an opportunity to try to get another pick in that round to where a player is going to play for you this year, you do it. And obviously, we did the Flacco trade last year, so we were down a fifth-round pick this year. And, yeah, we're fortunate to be able to bump up that sixth round and get the bottom of the fourth this year completely remade."

Parker noted he can play all five positions along the Bengals' offensive line and is hyped to return home.

"Grew up playing football in Cincinnati," Parker noted after the pick. "Have a lot of friends there, and when they said it was going to be the Bengals, it's one of the better feelings in the world. You know, getting to go back to your hometown team and putting on that orange and black and get ready for Who Dey nation."

Check out Parker getting the call from Zac Taylor:

“Bring me on home baby.” pic.twitter.com/QACGqtVRyf
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 25, 2026

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