Tennessee defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam has been rising on draft boards over the last few weeks. He made his presence felt this weekend in Tennessee's game against South Carolina, putting himself firmly in the conversation to be the first defensive tackle selected in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Gilliam finished the game with three tackles and a sack, his third sack in the last five games.
Gilliam wasn't on many draft radars coming into the season. He transferred to Tennessee after two years at Penn State. But with six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss this year, he's busting down the doors of not only the first round, but potentially the title of DT1 in the 2027 NFL Draft.
How has Xavier Gilliam become the potential DT1?
Xavier Gilliam brings many exciting traits to the defensive tackle position. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 305 pounds, he has a squatty frame plus plenty of explosiveness. This allows him to shoot the gap and get into the backfield, as well as take up space and two-gap when necessary.
The production this year has also been key for Gilliam. After transferring to Tennessee and playing the SEC schedule, it was unclear how he would fare. But with three of his six sacks this season coming in conference play, Gilliam was able to quiet those concerns.
X gon give it to ya
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 24, 2026
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What does Xavier Gilliam's latest sack tell NFL teams?
Gilliam's sack this weekend lets us know a lot about him as a player, and it's more than just the ability to get after the quarterback.
Gilliam starts as the left defensive tackle on the play, and you can see him run a twist with the defensive end. I love the speed and fluidity Gilliam showed on this move.
Then, when the stunt doesn't create a free lane to the quarterback, you see him get his hands up and try to get into the passing lane on the pump fake. That takes discipline and awareness from a young pass rusher to play for the pass if he doesn't think he can get behind the line of scrimmage.
And finally, we have the finish. To go from jumping to pursuing LaNorris Sellers was impressive. It takes the same tools as a good rebounder in basketball, with the coveted "second jump," meaning the player can quickly jump multiple times in a row to give themselves more chances. That's what Gilliam shows here.
Did I mention the quarterback Gilliam then chased down was LaNorris Sellers? Sellers is one of the most athletic quarterbacks we've seen in college football in years. And Gilliam is able to race to beat him to the sideline, cut off the angle Sellers wanted, and finish the tackle.
The athleticism, pursuit, and awareness Gilliam showed on this one play were outstanding.
Xavier Gilliam's draft stock is on the rise
When Gilliam had three sacks in his first game of the season, no one really talked about it because it was against Furman University.
But once Tennessee got into conference play, Gilliam proved he wasn't just taking advantage of the competition. Three sacks in five games, all against SEC opponents, is quite the feat.
Meanwhile, the defensive tackle class for the 2027 NFL Draft is considered fairly deep, but not overloaded with stars. Ole Miss's Will Echoles has been considered DT1 for the most part, but a quiet season with just 1.5 sacks so far could leave that title open for Gilliam.
With Gilliam producing against SEC competition and Echoles struggling to generate the same impact, the race to become the first defensive tackle selected could be more wide-open than expected.
3 NFL teams that could target Xavier Gilliam in the 2027 NFL Draft
While the quarterback class isn't quite shaping up as we expected, it's still likely that the early part of the 2027 NFL Draft is made up mostly of offensive talent. But there are plenty of teams picking later in the round who could potentially use a defensive tackle in the first round.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints' defense has been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season. Going into Week 6, they ranked 29th in yards allowed, 31st in points allowed, and 31st in defensive DVOA.
New Orleans has a rotation of veteran defensive linemen who are free agents after this season: Cam Jordan, Nathan Shepherd, Colby Wooden, and Davon Godchaux. Not to mention Bryan Bresee, their 2023 first-round pick, tore his ACL at the start of training camp and will be in the final year of his current deal next year.
The Saints have Chase Young under contract for next season, but with the way his contract is set up, I would expect them to work out an extension with the revitalized pass rusher. They also drafted Christen Miller in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Adding Gilliam to some combination of these players could make the front extremely formidable for New Orleans moving forward.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl thanks to their defense. And along with their top playmakers, it was the depth of the defense that helped the whole unit stand out.
Adding Gilliam to that group would give them another explosive playmaker along the defensive line, and he and Byron Murphy could make an elite defensive tackle pairing.
Seattle should also continue to add to their defense before the group ages out. Leonard Williams will turn 33 next summer. DeMarcus Lawrence will be 35 next April, and in the last year of his deal next season. Even Uchenna Nwosu will be a free agent at the end of the year.
Drafting Gilliam would help Seattle keep their strength a strength, while giving them another singular talent on the defensive line.
Dallas Cowboys
So far this season, the Dallas Cowboys have not seen the defensive improvements they were hoping for under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. They are 25th in points allowed, 30th in yards allowed, and 32nd in defensive DVOA.
For the second year in a row, Dallas could be targeting top-level talent on defense in the draft. Last year, they selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the first round, one defensive back, and one edge rusher.
Adding Gilliam would put another young, exciting prospect on another part of the defense that needs to keep adding talent. And building up the middle of the defensive line is a good strategy for a team that needs to finally crawl out of the basement in every statistical category for that unit.
Heading into Week 6, veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark was leading the team in snaps at the position. Dallas has Clark under contract for 2027, but can move on from him to save money if they want.
The Cowboys could focus on almost any defensive position, but getting a top player at defensive tackle could be exactly what they need for 2027.
Gilliam will have to continue his sack spree over the remaining games this season if he is going to lock up the DT1 conversation. But with his size, explosiveness, and production, he's already making a strong case to be one of the first defensive tackles selected in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Whether it's Dallas, New Orleans, Seattle, or another team looking to strengthen its defensive front, Gilliam is becoming a prospect NFL teams can't afford to overlook.
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