ESPN highlighted a top newcomer for every SEC team on Thursday, what coaches and general managers are saying about the chosen newcomer, why it picked that player out of all of the program’s other newcomers and what to expect from that player.
In Tennessee‘s case, that top newcomer is a player who new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is very familiar with. Defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam followed Knowles from Penn State to Knoxville this offseason, and that will be huge starting this spring as he gets used to his new surroundings, like Knowles is. The 6-foot-2, 302-pound redshirt freshman got his feet wet last season playing for Knowles in the Big Ten, and now in 2026 the pair will reunite in the SEC, just in time to try to bolster a Tennessee defense that’s undergoing an overhaul under Knowles.
On Thursday, ESPN named Gilliam as the “top newcomer” for the Volunteers heading into the 2026 season. ESPN’s Billy Tucker wrote this on what to expect from the first-year Tennessee defensive tackle:
Gilliam is expected to step into a starting role and immediately bolster Tennessee’s run defense, making him a cornerstone of Knowles’ first unit in Knoxville. We expect him to play stout football at the point of attack, where he uses his hands effectively and resists double-teams. While his collegiate sack numbers were modest at Penn State, his tape always suggested a higher pass-rushing ceiling, a skill he has actively focused on improving since arriving in Tennessee. His developing ability to affect the quarterback from an interior position, combined with his strong run-stopping, provides the versatility needed. Gilliam’s continued mental development in understanding blocking schemes and refining his pass-rush moves suggests he will quickly expand his impact beyond just first- and second-down run defense, making him a pivotal player for the Volunteers’ resurgence in 2026.
Gilliam certainly has the credentials on paper to be a top contributor for Josh Heupel‘s program in 2026. He’s a former 4-star recruit who Tucker believes can make an immediate impact along Tennessee’s defensive line. The Volunteers’ D-line lost a lot of experience from last season, so Gilliam’s presence starting this spring could be a huge factor, especiallyl with his prior knowledge of Knowles’ system.
Gilliam can potentially be one of the newcomers who points Tennessee back in the direction of making a College Football Playoff run. Here is what the Kalshi market is saying about the top teams in the mix to make that run toward a spot in the Playoff come December:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
