Brian Parker II is the 3rd Duke player off the board and it'll be an NFL homecoming

Take that Thomas Wolfe!

Duke offensive tackle Brian Parker II became the third Blue Devils player to get selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. And he's going back home.

The native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round with the 189th overall selection:

Duke's Brian Parker II selected by his hometown Cincinnati Bengals in the 6th Round

Parker played high school at St. Xavier's in Cincinnati and was a 3-star recruit before committing to Duke. After taking a redshirt in 2022, Parker saw seven starts as a redshirt freshman in 2023 before really breaking out in 2024.

In his first season with the new coaching staff led by Manny Diaz, Parker earned a 2nd Team All-ACC selection in helping the Blue Devils to nine wins. This past season, Parker was an AP 1st Team All-ACC performer and was named an All-American by both the AP (3rd Team) and Walter Camp (2nd Team). His steady play up front helped pave the way for the Blue Devils to capture their first outright ACC Championship since 1962.

Parker played tackle for Duke, but most prognosticators expect him to kick inside to play guard or even center at the next level.

The Bengals have had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL over the last several years. Upgrades up front have been a priority as they look to keep franchise QB Joe Burrow upright and healthy. While sixth-round picks don't get any guarantees when it comes to making rosters, this feels like a pretty good spot for Parker to have a real opportunity to end up on the 53-man roster by the time the regular season rolls around.

The fact that he'll get the chance to do it for his hometown team will only provide extra motivation for the former Duke star.

Parker became the third Blue Devil to get selected on day three of the NFL Draft, joining Wesley Williams (4th Round, Jaguars) and Chandler Rivers (5th Round, Ravens).

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