If you were watching the NFL Draft back in April 2023, you probably remember the name Cedric Tillman popping up in the third round. The Cleveland Browns grabbed him at 74th overall, and honestly, the room felt split. Some folks saw a massive, 6-foot-3 powerhouse who once bullied future NFL cornerbacks in the SEC. Others saw a guy whose medical folder was getting a bit too thick for comfort.
Basically, the Cedric Tillman draft profile was a study in contrasts. You had the 2021 tape where he looked like a top-15 lock, and then you had the 2022 season where a "tightrope" ankle surgery limited him to just six games. It's wild how much one injury can shift the narrative on a player who, just twelve months prior, was the clear-cut WR1 on a high-octane Tennessee offense.
The Physicality That Made Scouts Drool
Tillman isn't your typical modern "finesse" receiver. He’s built like a linebacker but plays with the grace of a point guard. At the Combine, he measured in at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds with nearly 33-inch arms. That’s a nightmare for smaller cornerbacks.
He doesn't just catch the ball; he possesses it. During his breakout 2021 campaign, Tillman hauled in 64 passes for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns. But those aren't just empty stats. He was doing this against the best of the best. Go back and watch the Georgia or Alabama tape from that year. He went for 200 yards against a Kirby Smart defense that was essentially an NFL developmental squad.
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What really stood out in his Cedric Tillman draft profile was his ability to win "above the rim." His 37-inch vertical jump isn't just a number—it showed up every time a quarterback threw a 50/50 ball his way. He has these massive 10-inch hands that just pluck the ball out of the air. It's kinda scary how consistent he was in contested situations.
Why the Speed Conversations Were a Bit Misleading
Everyone obsessed over his 4.54-second 40-yard dash. Sure, it’s not world-breaking speed. But Tillman isn't a "track guy" trying to play football; he’s a football player with build-up speed.
He uses a long stride that eats up cushion faster than cornerbacks expect.
Scouts noted that while he lacked that "instant" twitch or burst, his release at the line of scrimmage was elite. He uses his hands to swat away press coverage like he’s bored. Once he gets his shoulders even with a defender, it’s basically game over. He stacks them and uses his frame to shield the ball.
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The Ankle Injury and the "Jalin Hyatt" Effect
The biggest hurdle for Tillman during the draft process was the 2022 season. He suffered a high ankle sprain against Akron and opted for the "tightrope" surgery—the same one Tua Tagovailoa had—to try and rush back for his team.
He came back, but he wasn't the same. He was playing at maybe 80%.
While he was sidelined, his teammate Jalin Hyatt went absolutely nuclear, winning the Biletnikoff Award. Suddenly, Tillman became the "other" Tennessee receiver in the eyes of the casual fan. But NFL evaluators knew better. They saw a guy who was willing to play through pain to help his team, even if it meant hurting his own draft stock.
Honestly, if he stays healthy in 2022, we’re probably talking about a late first-round pick.
Looking Back: What the Profile Got Right
When we look at how Tillman has transitioned to the pros, many of those pre-draft notes were spot on.
- The Good: His blocking is legit. Tennessee’s system didn't ask him to do it a ton, but when he did, he was a mauler.
- The Bad: His route tree was limited. In Josh Heupel’s offense, he almost exclusively played on the right side of the formation. Transitioning to a pro-style tree takes time.
- The Reality: He’s a "volume" target who wins with strength rather than separation.
It’s easy to forget that Tillman comes from NFL royalty. His dad, also named Cedric Tillman, played in the league in the 90s. That "pro-ready" mindset was always a huge part of his scouting report. He wasn't some raw athlete you had to teach how to be a professional; he grew up in it.
The Actionable Insight for Fans and Evaluators
If you're still tracking Tillman’s career or looking for the next "Tillman-esque" prospect, pay attention to the SEC production vs. elite competition.
Raw stats in a spread offense are one thing, but dominating future NFL starters in man coverage is another. That’s what made Tillman special. His draft profile proved that "functional strength" and "ball skills" are often more valuable than a 4.40 40-yard dash.
Next time you see a big-bodied receiver with "average" speed but elite contested-catch rates, don't sleep on them. They are the ones who move the chains on third down when the windows get tight in December. Tillman was, and still is, a prime example of why the "eye test" on tape often beats the stopwatch.
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To get a better sense of how these traits translate, you should compare his 2021 Alabama tape against his 2022 Georgia tape. The difference in his explosive movement post-surgery is the best education you can get on how much an ankle injury hampers a vertical threat's effectiveness.