Gilliam Ranks No. 6 on Kiper's 2027 Big Board
Tennessee junior defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam is the top defensive lineman on Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest 2027 NFL Draft Big Board.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Football
Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Tennessee defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam No. 6 on his latest 2027 NFL Draft Big Board, released Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Kiper named Gilliam the top defensive lineman on the board.
Why it matters
Kiper cited Gilliam's improved draft stock since the start of the season and said a defensive tackle must be consistently disruptive to go early in the draft, a standard he said Gilliam meets. The ranking places the transfer from Penn State among the early names in the 2027 class.
Gilliam, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound junior, has 25 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, 24 pressures, 10 run stops, two forced fumbles and two pass breakups through eight games this season.
The players
Mel Kiper Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. is a longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst whose annual draft boards are closely followed by fans and teams.
Xavier Gilliam
Xavier Gilliam is a junior defensive lineman at Tennessee who previously played at Penn State before transferring.
The details
Gilliam is quick and explosive at the snap and frequently reaches the backfield before the ball gets to the quarterback, and he often commands double teams that free teammates to make plays. He recorded a three-sack outing against Furman in the season opener, and defensive line coach Rodney Garner praised him at an Oct. 6 media availability.
Timeline
Season opener: Gilliam recorded a three-sack outing against Furman.
Oct. 6, 2026: Rodney Garner praised Gilliam at a media availability.
Oct. 13, 2026: Gilliam discussed his get-off approach at a media availability.
Friday, Oct. 30, 2026: Kiper released his latest 2027 NFL Draft Big Board.
Season Trajectory
Kiper's board is one of the most-watched preseason-to-midseason draft evaluations, and Gilliam's placement reflects his rising profile within a 2027 defensive line class. A top-ten projection this early positions Tennessee's defensive front as a source of draft interest heading into the back half of the season.
Gilliam's No. 6 ranking makes him a name to track for 2027 draft boards and fantasy-rookie discussions. His combination of 6.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss gives Knoxville-area fans a concrete measure of his disruption this season.
The takeaway
Gilliam's climb reflects how consistently disruptive play can move a defensive tackle up draft boards, so tracking pressures and tackles for loss offers a clearer view of his progress than sacks alone.
What happens next
Gilliam could declare for the NFL Draft in spring 2027, which would determine his official draft eligibility.
Further reading
For more on Tennessee's season, see the Football section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sports Illustrated.
