The Tennessee Vols added 21 players from the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.

Several of Tennessee’s defensive transfer additions played under new Vols defensive coordinator Jim Knowles at Penn State last season.

And according to LEOs coach Andrew Jackson, at least one of those additions has already “flashed” his elite skills during spring practice.

Andrew Jackson says Vols transfer addition Xavier Gilliam has flashed in spring practice

Jackson spoke with reporters on Monday after Tennessee’s fifth spring practice, and he noted that Penn State transfer defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam “flashed big time” at a recent practice.

Gilliam, 6-foot-2/305 pounds, spent the first two seasons of his career at Penn State, totaling 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a half sack in 17 games.

Jackson was the assistant defensive line coach at Penn State under Knowles last season, so he already knows Gilliam very well.

“We ran some more third and longs on Saturday, [and] had a really good day providing pass rush,” said Jackson. “Xavier Gilliam actually was a guy that flashed big time in practice the other day, rushing from the interior. But it’s coming along. It’s really more so getting them to work together as a unit more so than seeing individual rushes.”

Gilliam told reporters on Monday that he put an extra emphasis on improving his pass rush this offseason.

“I would say pass rush is one of the things that I kind of took an emphasis to in the offseason,” said Gilliam. “Just getting to the quarterback more. I feel like as a defensive lineman, that’s basically our number one job — that and stopping the run. And so, I feel like my pass rush has improved greatly. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m liking how I’m coming along.”

Gilliam is an important player for the Volunteers. Not only is he a key presence along the interior of Tennessee’s defensive line, but he can also help other players pick up Knowles’ defensive scheme, thanks to his year of experience under Knowles at Penn State.

There’s a long way to go before the season gets underway, and there will inevitably be some ups-and-downs for Gilliam, but it’s certainly good news for the Vols that he’s “flashing” early.