Cedric Tillman (American football, born 2000)

Cedric Jashon Tillman (born April 19, 2000) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee.

Cedric Tillman
refer to caption
Tillman with the Tennessee Volunteers in 2021
No. 19 – Cleveland Browns
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (2000-04-19) April 19, 2000 (age 24)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
College:Tennessee (2018–2022)
NFL draft:2023 / round: 3 / pick: 74
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career NFL statistics as of Week 9, 2024
Receptions:39
Receiving yards:413
Receiving average:10.5
Receiving touchdowns:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Tillman attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada and was rated as a three-star prospect during his recruitment, according to 247Sports.[1] In February 2018, Tillman committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football.[2]

College career

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Tillman played at Tennessee from 2018–2022 under head coaches Jeremy Pruitt and Josh Heupel.[3][4]

From 2018 to 2020 at Tennessee, Tillman was a backup receiver and had eight receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.[5][6] He redshirted as a freshman in 2018.[7] He scored his first college touchdown on September 14, 2019, in the 45–0 victory over Chattanooga.[8] In the final game of Tennessee's 2020 season, he scored on a 46-yard touchdown reception in a 34–13 loss to Texas A&M.[9]

Tillman became a starter for the first time in 2021.[10] Tillman had his breakout game against longtime rival #4 Alabama with seven catches for 152 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in the 52–24 loss.[11] His touchdown was a 70-yard reception that helped put the Vols within seven points in the fourth quarter.[12] On November 13, against rival #1 Georgia, he had ten receptions for 200 receiving yards and one touchdown in the 41–17 loss.[13] Tillman was the first Volunteer to record at least 200 receiving yards since Cordarrelle Patterson in 2012.[14] In the regular season finale against in-state rival Vanderbilt, he had his first multi-touchdown game as a Vol in the 45–21 victory.[15] Tennessee earned a spot in the Music City Bowl against Purdue. In the 48–45 overtime loss, he had seven receptions for 150 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.[16] He finished the season with 64 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns.[17][18] His 12 touchdowns ranked third in the SEC.[19]

Tillman returned to Tennessee in 2022, rather than enter the 2022 NFL draft.[20][21] In Tennessee's second game, against #17 Pitt, he had nine receptions for 162 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in overtime in the 34–27 victory on September 10.[22] Tillman suffered an ankle injury in the following game against Akron that impacted his availability and production for the remainder of the season.[23] Tillman returned against Kentucky on October 29.[24] On November 19, he scored two receiving touchdowns against South Carolina.[25] He finished the season with 37 receptions for 417 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in six games.[26] He elected to enter the 2023 NFL draft and not participate in the Orange Bowl.[27]

College statistics

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Year G Rec Yds Avg TD
2018 1 1 −3 −3.0 0
2019 3 4 60 15.0 1
2020 2 3 67 22.3 1
2021 12 64 1,081 16.9 12
2022 6 37 417 11.3 3
Career 24 109 1,622 12.5 17

Professional career

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Tillman in 2023
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 3+38 in
(1.91 m)
213 lb
(97 kg)
32+34 in
(0.83 m)
10 in
(0.25 m)
4.54 s 1.53 s 2.64 s 7.32 s 37.0 in
(0.94 m)
10 ft 8 in
(3.25 m)
Sources:[28][29]

Tillman was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round, 74th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft.[30] In his rookie season, Tillman appeared in 14 games and started three. He finished with 21 receptions for 224 receiving yards.[31]

In Week 8 of the 2024 season, Tillman recorded 99 yards and his first two professional touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens in a 29–24 victory.[32]

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2023 CLE 14 3 21 224 10.7 23 0 1 8 8.0 8 0 0 0
2024 CLE 9 4 24 264 11 38 3 1 -5 -5 -5 0 0 0
Career 23 7 45 488 10.84 38 3 2 3 1.5 8 0 0 0

Personal life

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His father, also named Cedric Tillman, played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.[33][34]

References

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  1. ^ "Cedric Tillman, Tennessee Volunteers, Wide Receiver". 247Sports. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Callahan, Ryan (February 7, 2018). "Tennessee signs Las Vegas wide receiver Cedric Tillman after late offer". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  3. ^ "Cedric Tillman College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  4. ^ "Tennessee Volunteers Coaches". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  5. ^ Wilson, Mike (August 12, 2021). "Is Tennessee football's Cedric Tillman a breakout candidate under Josh Heupel?". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  6. ^ "Cedric Tillman Career Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  7. ^ "Cedric Tillman – Football". University of Tennessee Athletics. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "Chattanooga at Tennessee Box Score, September 14, 2019". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "Texas A&M at Tennessee Box Score, December 19, 2020". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  10. ^ Taylor, Noah (November 28, 2021). "Coaching staff's belief paying off for Cedric Tillman, Tennessee". The Daily Times. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "Tennessee at Alabama Box Score, October 23, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  12. ^ Rudolph, Justin (October 24, 2021). "WATCH: Tennessee answers controversial score with this bomb". On3. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Georgia at Tennessee Box Score, November 13, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  14. ^ Brown, Patrick (November 13, 2021). "Cedric Tillman: Vols 'weren't scared at all' of Georgia's defense". GoVols247. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "Vanderbilt at Tennessee Box Score, November 27, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  16. ^ "Music City Bowl – Tennessee vs Purdue Box Score, December 30, 2021". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  17. ^ Paschall, David (December 31, 2021). "Vols notebook: Cedric Tillman hits 1,000-yard receiving mark at Music City Bowl". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  18. ^ Paschall, David (December 6, 2021). "A 1,000-yard season for Tennessee's Tillman no joke after all". Yahoo! News. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  19. ^ "2021 Southeastern Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  20. ^ Sparks, Adam (December 23, 2021). "Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman will return in 2022 rather than enter NFL Draft". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  21. ^ Taylor, Noah (December 27, 2021). "Key Vols receiver Cedric Tillman announces return for senior season". The Newport Plain Talk. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  22. ^ "Tennessee at Pitt Box Score, September 10, 2022". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  23. ^ Lambert, Terry A. (September 30, 2022). "Report: Cedric Tillman had surgery following ankle injury vs. Akron". Rocky Top Talk. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  24. ^ Parks, James (October 29, 2022). "Cedric Tillman update: Status on Vols' wide receiver for Kentucky game". SI.com. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  25. ^ "Tennessee at South Carolina Box Score, November 19, 2022". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  26. ^ "Cedric Tillman 2022 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  27. ^ Harralson, Dan (December 12, 2022). "Cedric Tillman announces NFL draft decision". Vols Wire. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  28. ^ "Cedric Tillman Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  29. ^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Cedric Tillman College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  30. ^ Poisal, Anthony (April 28, 2023). "Browns select WR Cedric Tillman with No. 74 pick in 2023 NFL Draft". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  31. ^ "Cedric Tillman 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  32. ^ Warren, Patrick (October 28, 2024). "Cedric Tillman's career day fuels Browns' win over Ravens". Cleveland Browns. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  33. ^ "Cedric Tillman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  34. ^ Staples, Andy (August 8, 2022). "Cedric Tillman is ready to lead Tennessee, and Vols fans can thank Clay Helton for that". The Athletic. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
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