A hometown product who started 33 games across four years at Duke, Brian Parker II returned to Cincinnati as a versatile sixth-round offensive lineman.
Brian Parker II grew up in Cincinnati and starred at St. Xavier High School before a four-year college career at Duke that culminated in back-to-back second-team All-ACC seasons. The Bengals drafted him in the sixth round of the 2026 draft, giving the local product a chance to play in front of family and friends.
Path to the league
A three-star recruit out of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, where he was twice named conference offensive lineman of the year, Parker committed to Duke and played all four of his eligible seasons there from 2022 to 2025. He appeared in two games as a true freshman before redshirting, then worked his way into the starting lineup at tackle.
Career highlights
Parker started 33 of his 40 career games at Duke, primarily at tackle, and earned second-team All-ACC honors in both 2024 and 2025. In his final season he was also named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation and helped lead Duke to its first outright ACC title since 1962. He was drafted by Cincinnati in the sixth round with the 189th overall pick in 2026.
2025 season recap
Parker's senior year at Duke in 2025 was his best: he started all 13 games, earned second-team All-ACC recognition for a second straight year, and picked up Walter Camp All-America honors as the Blue Devils won the conference. That performance, plus his versatility across tackle, guard and center, made him an appealing late-round target for Cincinnati, which is now cross-training him at multiple line spots as a rookie.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Brian Parker II
- Bengals.com: Brian Parker II
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Duke
- Hometown
- Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
