New York Giants Could Target Breakout SEC Star in NFL Draft

Yes, I understand the NFL trade deadline is right around the corner, and the New York Giants might have some moves to make there first.

But given that many of the potential additions the Giants could land between now and Nov. 10 are impending free agents, I am more interested in the long haul.

New York has plenty of needs, but one of its biggest areas of weakness is defensively its interior defensive line.

DJ Reader has been terrific in the first year of a two-year contract with Big Blue, but there are no definitive answers along side of him.

Sixth-round pick Bobby Jamison-Travis definitely showed some promise this past Sunday, but the jury is largely out on the Auburn product. He certainly has staying power, but perhaps more as a rotational piece than a starter long term.

I also love the potential of 6-foot-6, 365-pound CJ Okoye, but he is still incredibly raw, and his future is very much up in the air.

But what about Tennessee Volunteers breakout star Xavier Gilliam?

Gilliam has established himself as one of the most dominant defensive players in the country this season, having racked up 26 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Sure, three of his sacks came during Tennessee's season opener against Furman, but he has remained a dominant force in SEC play.

At 6-foot-2, 305 pounds, Gilliam does not possess elite size for a defensive tackle and probably projects as more of a 3-tech on the NFL level, but he is still a terrific all-around defender capable of both stuffing the run and rushing the passer.

Gilliam is what I thought Peter Woods was going to be at Clemson last year: an explosive, dominant presence in the trenches who can single-handedly change the complexion of a game. And with Reader already clogging the middle for the Giants, Gilliam would have the freedom to be more of a versatile chess piece.

Gilliam's stock has skyrocketed this season after being a virtual nobody for two years at Penn State before transferring to Knoxville. Now, he is viewed by many as a first-round pick, and New York may very well go with a DT in the opening round.

While the defensive tackle position is very deep in this upcoming draft class, there aren't a whole lot of behemoths. The group consists more of dynamic all-around threats like Gilliam, and while Ole Miss star Will Echoles is widely considered the top defensive tackle on the list, Gilliam is challenging for that top spot.

The Giants should absolutely have Gilliam near the top of their draft board.