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Penn State DL Xavier Gilliam plans to enter NCAA transfer portal

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp12/31/25

Penn State defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam is set to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from On3’s Hayes Fawcett. His agent informed the On3 national reporter of the intended move.

Gilliam has spent the past two seasons at Penn State. He appeared in five games as a true freshman in 2024 before appearing in all 13 games during the 2025 campaign.

This season, Xavier Gilliam began to have a more significant impact along the defensive front. He tallied 15 tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks. He started two games.

Prior to enrolling at Penn State, Xavier Gilliam was ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 741 overall recruit in the 2023 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He also checked in as the No. 63 defensive lineman in the class and the No. 25 overall player from the state of Maryland, hailing from Gaithersburg (MD) Quince Orchard.

In high school, Gilliam was a three-year letterman and had an outstanding senior campaign. His team finished with an 11-1 record and Gilliam earned first-team All-Metro honors as a result.

Xavier Gilliam the second transfer of the day

Gilliam was the second transfer whose intentions became clear on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve. Penn State wide receiver Kaden Saunders also plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Pete Nakos has learned. He does so after spending four years with the Nittany Lions.

Saunders played some early in his career before mostly disappearing over the last two years. He recorded eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in 2022 and 2023.

But he failed to record a catch in the last two seasons. He did, however, make an impact as a return specialist in 2023 and 2024. In those two campaigns, Kaden Saunders recorded 17 punt returns for 113 yards, breaking a long return of 37 yards.

A hand injury cost Saunders most of the 2024 season after he had appeared in four games as a return man. He then missed all of the 2025 season with what coach James Franklin described as a “long-term injury.”