Kelvin Gilliam
Defensive Tackle
Transfer Portal, Oklahoma
6-3, 295
Richmond, VA
The Hokies continued to shore up their interior defensive line with a commitment from Oklahoma defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam on Thursday.
https://twitter.com/Kelvin_Gilliam2/status/1740420240323047654?s=20
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound lineman, who's from Highland Springs, spent three years with the Sooners, appearing in 16 games and making 10 tackles in 185 snaps but missing six games last year due to injury. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Gilliam's the third defensive tackle Tech has added this transfer cycle, joining All-ACC performer Aeneas Peebles (Duke) and Kemari Copeland (JUCO, Iowa Western CC).
Gilliam was a highly-sought-after prospect when he signed in 2021, a four-star recruit who was ranked 107th nationally in the 247Sports Composite and had offers from Penn State, Florida, LSU, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas, among others.
His addition comes at a position of major need for the Hokies heading into 2024. The top three producers at defensive tackle â Norell Pollard, Mario Kendricks and Pheldarius Payne â exhausted their eligibility.
Josh Fuga and Wilfried Pene return as two veterans who have gotten playing time, but the next wave of tackles, which includes Malachi Madison, Lemar Law and Gunner Givens, has barely gotten on the field.