The first week of the transfer portal hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows for Tennessee. The Vols have landed some solid players, like Qua Moss and Kayin Lee, who will help the defense in 2026. Keeping running back DeSean Bishop around was huge, too, but the overarching storyline has been that Tennessee has missed on a handful of top targets, and fans are getting anxious,
Some of that anxiety should go away with Tennessee landing Xavier Gilliam, one of the top players in the portal, regardless of position. The mauling 6'2, 300-pound defensive tackle should fit perfectly in the middle of Jim Knowles's defense.