Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has not had a lot of luck in the Transfer Portal since it opened on January 2. The Irish have missed out on many players in the portal to other programs, and they still have yet to get a single commitment.
Freeman could be on the edge of missing out on another big player on the defense, as former Penn State defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam is now projected to commit to Tennessee. The Irish are not the only school that will potentially miss out on Gilliam, as he was also showing some interest in Indiana.
Have placed a Crystal Ball pick for Tennessee with Penn State DT transfer Xavier Gilliam.
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 7, 2026
Gilliam ranks as the No. 4 DL in the rankings. He posted 15 tackles and 2 TFLs this season. He's also considering Indiana and Notre Dame, among others.https://t.co/GxUqfcIv2O pic.twitter.com/LixBB2NlcU
Gilliam is an elite player on the defensive line and is even ranked in the Top 10 of the Saturday Blitz transfer portal rankings for his position. Gilliam has three years of eligibility left, which is also very enticing for interested schools, as he could be in the program for the long haul.
In two seasons at Penn State, it is clear that the 2025 season was Gilliam's best, with 16 total tackles, 12 solo tackles, a half sack, and one forced fumble. Notre Dame could really use some firepower on the defensive line going into 2026, so Gilliam would have been a perfect addition.
Freeman is going to have to try and figure out something with the portal because the Irish can't afford to not get someone with some solid experience. While Notre Dame wants to go after the big names in the portal, Freeman might have to settle for some smaller names and hope they can make a big impact.
It seems to be back to the drawing board for Notre Dame, and here is to hoping Freeman can figure out some sort of solution to the Transfer Portal.