Cedric Tillman NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Cleveland Browns' WR
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 213
HAND: 10"
ARM: 32 3/4"
WINGSPAN: TBD
40-YARD DASH: 4.54
3-CONE: N/A
SHUTTLE: N/A
VERTICAL: 37"
BROAD: 10'8"
POSITIVES
— Very good size. Thick, muscled-up frame.
— Very good stop/start explosiveness.
— Above-average speed. Not a true burner but enough to threaten vertically.
— Very good ball skills and ability to catch in traffic.
— Good YAC skills. Quality blend of size, burst and strength.
— Great blocker. Active, physical, and strong.
NEGATIVES
— Limited route tree at Tennessee. Aligned only on right side and ran few routes.
— Hard to get a gauge on how he feels out zone coverage and operates from the slot because of how Tennessee used him.
— Can struggle with focus drops on routine plays.
2022 STATISTICS
— 6 GMS, 37 RECS, 417 YDS (11.3 AVG), 3 TD
NOTES
— DOB: April 19, 2000
— 3-star recruit in 2018
— Two-year starter, 21 career starts
— 2022: Missed four games with an ankle injury, also missed final game vs Vanderbilt with undisclosed lower-body injury
OVERALL
Cedric Tillman has every trait necessary to be a true X receiver, it's just a matter of gauging his health and how he will transition from Tennessee's offense.
Tillman has a classic X receiver build at 6'3" and 215 pounds. He plays to the archetype, too. Though not a true field-tilter, Tillman plays with good speed for his size. He excels on go routes, post routes, dig routes and comeback routes, all routes that either go vertical or threaten the vertical stem before snapping off. Tillman also excels on those routes because they are true 1-on-1 outside routes, which make use of his snappy stop/start explosiveness, crisp feet and effortless hips. Tillman has exhibited all the route-running tools you could ask for, just on a limited route tree thus far.
Tillman is also as tough and physical as he looks. As a pass-catcher, Tillman does well to play in traffic and catch with bodies around him. His ball location is excellent, and he understands very well how to put himself in position to get to the ball first. When combined with his strong hands and frame to absorb contact, Tillman's catch-point ability is a plus. Additionally, Tillman is a nasty blocker. He has zero reservations about going into attack mode as a blocker, and he's got the size/strength to capitalize.
The uncertainty with Tillman comes mostly from the Tennessee offense. Tennessee's offense uses the wide college splits in a way the NFL can not. On top of that, Tillman played almost exclusively as the right outside WR, and his route tree was mostly limited to go balls, posts, dig routes, slants and stop routes at various depths. He didn't really get to explore a route tree that attacks across the field, underneath, or from the slot. Tillman also has some occasional problems with dropping the routine throws, but considering his strong hands elsewhere, that should be something that can be cleaned up.
It's really just about how long Tillman's transition to a real offense takes. Tillman has the size, athletic traits, route-running baseline and hand-eye coordination to be a reliable outside WR in the NFL. Tillman's best fit in the NFL would be a role similar to Michael Gallup's in the Kellen Moore-era Dallas Cowboys offense.
GRADE: 7.4 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 54
POSITION RANK: WR5
PRO COMPARISON: Corey Davis
Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen
