LAS VEGAS — It won't be long before Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman is taken in the NFL Draft, which starts Apr. 27 in Kansas City, Mo.
Most mock drafts have him going in the second or third round. Wherever he goes his dad, Cedric Tillman Sr., is already so proud. He knows his son has had this dream for a long time.
“Honestly since he was like nine," Tillman Sr. said with a laugh. "You know he said, 'Dad I’m going to go to the NFL. I’m going to have a big house with a pool and a slide in it.' So I’m like, 'Whoa, okay, interesting.'”
Tillman’s dad knows a thing or two about the NFL. He played four seasons in the league also as a wide receiver. As his son grew bigger and bigger, Tillman Sr. knew his son had the ability.
However, Tillman didn’t always have an easy path. At Tennessee in his early years, he had some frustrations because he said he wasn’t getting enough opportunities to shine.
“He said, 'Dad I know I’m good. I know I’m good. I just need the chance.,'" Tillman Sr. said.
In his redshirt sophomore season, Tillman came up with a spectacular diving catch against Texas A&M that got him on SportsCenter Top 10.
“He’s like I could do this all day long if they give me a chance," his dad said.
When now-head coach Josh Heupel took the helm in Tillman's redshirt junior year, he got that shot.
He shined.
Tillman had 64 catches for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021 and was poised for a standout senior season. In week two at Pittsburgh, he had nine catches for 162 yards and one touchdown. That TD was the game-winner in overtime.
Unfortunately, he would deal with a lingering ankle injury after that. He underwent tightrope surgery and missed about half the season.
His dad said he was only, at best, 80% when he could play.
“He was very depressed," Tillman Sr. said. "When you have a good junior year and then you’re like, 'Wow, I really want to show people what I’m made of.'”
Tillman finished with 417 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. His dad says Tillman is motivated to show what he can do at the next level since he wasn’t totally able to in his senior season.
“I’m not saying this just because he is my son., but I think he is going to be one of the better receivers in this draft," he said. "If he didn’t get hurt who knows if he would have been in that top three or four discussion of being the first receiver picked.”
Regardless, Tillman will be picked.
Cedric Tillman Sr. is proud that his son has that as a guarantee and he knows that moment his son’s name is called will be emotional.
“I’ll be the guy in Vegas who is crying," Tillman Sr. said. "I’ll probably be happier than he is. Any time you have your son or your child in general follow in your footsteps it’s rewarding.”
Tillman has spoken to every team heading into the NFL Draft according to his dad.
Round one of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Rounds two and three start at 7 p.m. on Friday. Rounds four through seven being at noon on Saturday.
