Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, Duke’s Brian Parker II is one of the top offensive line prospects in the class. He was an All-ACC performer in 2025, finishing seventh among all FBS offensive tackles with a 90.8 PFSN CFB OL Impact Score.
Parker is projected to kick inside to either center or guard at the next level. He’s anticipated to be one of the top interior offensive linemen to come off the board in April, thanks to the technical refinement and physical dominance he displayed in his three years starting for the Blue Devils.
PFSN spoke with Parker about his time at Duke, maintaining success through multiple coaching changes, his pre-draft process going into the NFL, and more.
JI: You were a tackle at Duke but made the switch inside at the Shrine Bowl. How was that adjustment for you, and is that something you’re prioritizing in your training?
BP: Yeah, I definitely prioritized it a little bit leading up to the Shrine Bowl. I’d been working with the centers coach out here in California to really get into that, because obviously, tackle to guard is difficult, but it’s not as difficult as tackle to center. Then, going to the Shrine Bowl, I just wanted to show that I can play all five [positions]. Some people project me inside because of my arm length and stuff like that, so I feel like it just gives me a whole lot more value of being able to play all five. That was something we really focused on heading into the Shrine Bowl. I knew that’s what we wanted to focus on at the Shrine Bowl, because if you want to watch me play tackle, you have over 2,500 reps in college. But a lot of questions came around: can I move inside? So that was a big goal, and I think we did a good job accomplishing it.
JI: What was that Shrine Bowl experience like for you, in general?
BP: It’s a really great bowl game. It’s really good what they do for the kids. I had a lot of fun down there in Dallas, getting to compete against the best of the best. I’m a competitive person, so I was going in there definitely in a disadvantage. I haven’t played center in a lot of games since high school. But no, it was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun competing. The coaching was great. I got to work with some NFL coaches and really get their feedback on it, get some pointers and stuff to work on as I continue. I had a great time down there and thought it was a great setup [from Shrine Bowl Director of Football Operations] Eric Galko. Everybody does a great job.
JI: If you had to pick, who was the top defensive lineman you went up against there?
BP: I’d probably go defensive tackle from Illinois [James Thompson Jr.]. He showed a lot of what he could do at the Shrine Bowl, and he’s a big dude with good length and can move real well for his size. I’d give it to him.
JI: You played a big role in the turnaround of Duke football. What does it mean to have been an impact player in getting them back near the top of the ACC?
BP: That was a goal we had set out to do. I actually remember my senior year of high school, I went to the Thursday night game they played Louisville, and we lost like 50-something to seven. Malik Cunningham, Louisville’s quarterback, had like 500 all-purpose yards. After the game, it was very dim at the facility, as you can imagine. I remember [Duke defensive end] V.J. Anthony, another guy from my class in this draft class, as well, defensive end, we were sitting there like, “we’re not going to do this.” Then, our whole class was always talked about being the guys that turned it around and showing up. We were 3-9 and leaving ACC champions, which is something I’m very proud of, all the guys are very proud of, and doing it the right way: having a good team culture, everybody getting their degree, and really doing it for the right reasons. I think [Duke is an] awesome place, and we’re all very happy to play a big part and turn it back around.
JI: It’s pretty cool you guys were able to keep that strong play up, no matter if it was Mike Elko or Manny Diaz at head coach.
BP: Yeah, we were all recruited and signed by [David] Cutcliffe, and then he retired when we got there, and then it was Elko, and Diaz. [There was a] lot of adversity. We lost some good players. Riley [Leonard] left, and our coach left. There’s some turmoil around what Duke football is going to be, but we stuck it through, and we’re very, very proud of what we accomplished.
JI: How did those two head coaches prepare you for the NFL in their own ways?
BP: Elko’s a very, very demanding coach, and it’s what we needed. [We were] really having to know everything; we ran a more NFL-style offense, a lot of huddles, so you had to really be on top of your game. Coach Diaz was a really good players coach, and preparing you mentally for being able to go against the best of the best. When something doesn’t go your way, [Diaz let you know] you can’t let one bad thing turn into multiple, so I’ll give him a lot of credit in that, and really focusing on the mental part of the game, as well.
JI: I didn’t even realize until I started prepping for this call that Dereck Lively’s your cousin. What does it mean knowing your family’s about to have players in both the NFL and the NBA?
BP: It’s pretty cool. Obviously, me and Dereck grew up together. He’s like my brother, so we always dreamed of it. We were both in high school. We wanted to go the same college together, so we accomplished that. He was a little quicker to make to the pros, but we’re both going to be there in the end, so it’s been a childhood dream. You never know, maybe I’ll be in Dallas with him; that’d be pretty funny, but it’s very cool. As a kid, I always dreamed about playing in the NFL, and for him, it was the NBA, and now we’re here.
JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
BP: I’m a big saltwater fishing guy. I’m originally from South Jersey, and my family’s got a shore house down there, and we’ve been there for six generations. Saltwater fishing is deep, deep in the blood, and that’s really a happy place outside of football.
JI: If there’s one place you’d like to go fishing that you haven’t yet, where would you pick?
BP: I’ve been all up and down the East Coast, so I think have to go West Coast. I’ll probably go to Hawaii somewhere. I’m actually meeting a few of the guys that are out here training [in Florida]. We’re going fishing this weekend, so that’s a nice one to cross off the list.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
BP: You’ll get a really smart player, a guy that works hard, a guy that knows how to be a part of and instill a winning culture at multiple places. I’m always gonna be on time with my stuff. You never have to worry about me doing something wrong. I love to play football, so I’ll go out there and hit people hard for you.
