Tag: Cedric Tillman

Top remaining players on Packers big board entering Day 2

Who are the best players and fits for the Packers entering the second round? Here’s our list.

After selecting Lukas Van Ness with the 13th overall pick the Green Bay Packers start day two of the NFL Draft in need of playmakers for Jordan Love. Luckily for Brian Gutekunst, there are still plenty of talented pass catchers, particularly at tight end on the board. 

“The board held up strong,” Gutekunst said. “I feel good about going into tomorrow.”

The Packers start the day off with the 42nd, 45th, and 78th overall picks. Let’s take a quick glimpse at the top players on my Packers Big Board. 

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Mayer has sticky hands that catch everything thrown his way. The Packers need to set their young quarterback up for success and adding a complete tight end like Mayer seems like a no-brainer.

Brian Branch, DB, Alabama

Versatile, tough as nails, excellent in coverage, and only 21 years old. Branch would be a great addition to Green Bay’s defense and would be an instant contributor for Joe Barry’s squad. 

Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State

Whoa, impressive wingspan. Porter Jr is a long cornerback. The Penn State cornerback has 34-inch arms and an 80 ⅞ wingspan. 

Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Traits. Bet on the traits. Ringo is an athletic freak. A former track athlete, Ringo clocked a 4.36 40. The Packers can’t go through the NFL Draft without drafting a Georgia Bulldog defensive player. Right? 

Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Washington is a monster. At 6-6, 264 pounds, Washington is an imposing figure on the gridiron. He’s a people mover with his power. Washington was a high-school wide receiver and has natural pass-catching abilities. He has strong, reliable hands.

Keion White, DL, Georgia Tech

White has a unique blend of size and speed. He’s a twitched-up defensive lineman. He has a lot of power in his 6-5 frame and good length (34-inch arms).

Cody Mauch, OL, NDSU

A former tight end, Mauch is an athletic and versatile offensive lineman. He finished his career at Fargo as a 39-game starter with 37 starts coming at left tackle and two at right tackle. He has five position versatility.

Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

To quote Lightning McQueen, Hyatt is speed. He’s faster than fast. He’s quicker than quick. He’s lightning. This past season, Hyatt led the Nation with 11 receptions of 40-plus yards. The former four-star recruit also had five receptions of 60-plus yards. The Volunteer wide receiver just has a different gear.

Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

Standing at 6-2, with 34-inch arms, his length goes on for days. With his length, he chokes passing windows and gives the quarterback a small window to throw into. 

Tucker Kraft, TE, SDSU

Kraft is a complete tight end. He’s a natural pass catcher and in SDSU’s run-first offense, Kraft is an exceptional blocker. He lined up in-line and in the slot while he was in Brookings. At 6-4, 254 pounds, Kraft looks every bit the part of an NFL tight end. 

Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

LaPorta is a difference-maker as a pass-catcher. LaPorta is a well-rounded tight end. He’s a moveable tight end that could line up in the slot, in-line, or even out wide. He could step in immediately and provide an impact as a security blanket for Jordan Love.

Gervon Dexter, DL, Florida

There is no denying the tools. The Gator defensive tackle has the length, power, and athleticism to develop into a dominant force along the defensive line. 

Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

If Musgrave is still on the board when the Packers are on the clock in the second round, it would not be surprising to see Gutekunst pull the trigger on the 6-5, 253-pound tight end with 4.61 speed. 

Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern

At 6-1, 282 pounds, Adebawore may be viewed as a tweener. The “undersized defensive lineman plays with a junkyard dog mentality and his motor is always running.

Keeanu Benton, DL, Wisconsin

Benton’s calling card is his ability to two-gap. He’s a stout run defender that can clog up running lanes. He’s got a powerful frame with long arms to stack blocks. His motor is always running and gives great effort. 

Rashee Rice, WR, SMU

Rice’s trump card is his ability to turn 50-50 balls into 80-20 balls. His tape is littered with leaping grabs over defensive backs. On top of that, Rice is a YAC threat and an eager blocker. 

Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse

Bergeron finished his career at Syracuse with 39 career starts under his belt. He started eight games at right tackle and 31 games at left tackle. The Syracuse offensive tackle has all the tools to develop into a team’s left or right tackle. Some teams may kick him inside to guard.

Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

A track athlete in high school, Scott’s calling card is his speed. The Cincinnati wide receiver has an instant accelerator and track-like speed to win vertically. 

Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M

With his size, versatility, and the energy that he plays with, Johnson could be an attractive day-two target for the Packers as they search for upgrades at the safety position. 

Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane

Spears’ trump card is his ability to make people miss and create yards after contact. He’s elusive in the open and stays balanced through contact. According to Pro Football Focus, Spears had 1,052 yards after contact this past season and forced 63 missed tackles. 

Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

Brown is an outstanding athlete. It’s a big reason why he made an appearance on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list. The Illinois running back put on a show at the combine. Brown clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash with a 1.53 10-yard split. Brown’s marks in the vertical (40) and broad jump (10-7) were both the highest among running backs.

Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee

At 6-3, 213 pounds, Tillman is a well-built wide receiver. He looks great off the bus. He uses his frame well, outmuscling defensive backs at the catch point. He has impressive body control, with the ability to make catches through contact. 

Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas

Johnson is a complete back that could have transferred to another team to be the lead dog. Instead, Johnson played second fiddle to Bijan Robinson and was more than willing to do the dirty work. Johnson is a pound the table for type prospects.

Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska

Palmer, a former track athlete, won a state title in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He set a Louisiana state meet record in the 200 with a time of 21.11. That speed was on full display at the NFL Scouting Combine when Palmer clocked a 4.33 40-yard time, which was the fastest time among wide receivers. Palmer has a different gear. 

Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss

The Ole Miss wide receiver has an excellent blend of size (6-1, 220 lbs) strength, and quickness. That combination makes him dangerous in space. He’s a contested catch connoisseur and outmuscles defensive backs at the catch point. With his size and strength, Mingo’s ability as a blocker will get Matt LaFleur’s attention. 

2023 NFL draft: Vols’ best available players for Day 2

A look at the five best available former Vols and where they rank for Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft.

The 2023 NFL draft is taking place Thursday-Saturday in the plaza outside of Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.

Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft was held Thursday.

One former Vol was selected in the first round. Offensive lineman Darnell Wright was drafted No. 10 overall by Chicago.

Rounds 2-3 will be held Friday (7 p.m. EDT), while rounds 4-7 are slated for Saturday (noon EDT).

PHOTOS: A look at former Vols at the NFL draft through the years

Ahead of Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft, ESPN released best available players remaining to be selected.

Five former Vols were named by ESPN and are listed below.

Day 2 mock draft for the New Orleans Saints

Our Day 2 mock draft for the New Orleans Saints includes a trade proposal to make an on-brand move (or two) up the draft order, targeting prospects who fit their prototypes:

The New Orleans Saints addressed their most important need in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, so where do they go from here? The truth is that they could move in almost any direction and come away feeling great about the decision.

After picking Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29, the Saints could be justified in turning their attention to offense, either along the line (prioritizing a guard like Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence or TCU’s Steve Avila) or at the skills positions (in targeting a pass-catcher such as Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, wide receiver Cedric Tillman, or UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet).

There also a couple of talented defensive backs available in Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and Alabama safety Brian Branch. New Orleans could double down on their defensive front by prioritizing edge rushers Keion White (Georgia Tech) or Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame), too. And let’s not overlook some long-term developmental quarterbacks like Will Levis (Kentucky) and Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), either.

The point is that it’s really tough to predict what the Saints will do on the second day of the draft. But we’ll try anyway. Here’s a quick mock draft for their picks in Rounds 2 and 3:

2023 NFL draft: Four Vols projected in first two rounds

Four Vols are projected in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL draft.

The 2023 NFL draft will take place Thursday-Saturday in the plaza outside of Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.

Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft will take place Thursday (8 p.m. EDT), rounds 2-3 will be held Friday (7 p.m. EDT), while rounds 4-7 are slated for Saturday (noon EDT).

Ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, Draft Wire released final first two-round draft projections. Four Vols are projected to be selected in the first two rounds: Quarterback Hendon Hooker, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, wide receiver Cedric Tillman and offensive lineman Darnell Wright.

PHOTOS: A look at former Vols at the NFL draft through the years

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Below are projections for former Vols in Draft Wire’s final mock draft.

Panthers hook Bryce Young up with pair of big WRs in PFF 3-round mock draft

After projecting Bryce Young to the Panthers atop new mock draft, PFF’s Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers get the No. 1 pick a double dose of receiving help.

If the Carolina Panthers are going to draft someone they hope turns into franchise quarterback next week (which they will be), they’ll need to build around him. So, that’s exactly what Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers did in their new three-round mock draft.

The hosts of PFF’s NFL Stock Exchange Podcast recently took turns making selections through the first three frames of the 2023 NFL draft—and they start off sweet and simple at No. 1. Rogers notes:

Bryce Young is my top quarterback. They need a quarterback, they traded a lot of picks to get here. I think he’s the best one.

Next up was the 39th overall selection, which was used on University of Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman. Tillman, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, plays his size—making the most of his catch radius and physicality.

A high-ankle sprain hampered his final collegiate season, where he played in just six games. But 2021 showed just how dominant Tillman could be—as he reeled in 64 balls for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns.

But even that wasn’t enough. With their third-round pick of the mock, at No. 93, came Southern Methodist University’s Rashee Rice. At a solid 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, Rice also uses his frame to his advantage—which helped him chalk up 19 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

So, uh, wideout room of Tillman, Rice, Terrace Marshall Jr., Adam Thielen and DJ Chark would be kinda nice, wouldn’t it?

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

A large frame and quality hands will endear Tillman to a number of NFL teams on Day 3.

The son of a four-year veteran NFL receiver by the same name, Tennessee wideout Cedric Tillman enters the 2023 draft with five years of FBS experience, though only one season really showcased his ability.

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 213 pounds
40 time: 4.54 seconds

A redshirt freshman year in 2018 was followed up with only five appearances over the next two seasons, culminating with an unmemorable eight receptions. In 2021, with Josh Palmer now in the NFL, Tillman ascended into the No. 1 role for quarterback Hendon Hooker. As a senior, however, a high-ankle sprain shortened his campaign and derailed a bid for consecutive All-SEC honors. Expect a Day 3 selection in the upcoming draft.

Table: Cedric Tillman stats (2018-22)

Year School Class G Rushing Receiving
Att Yds Avg TD Rec Yds Avg TD
2018 Tennessee Fr 1 1 -3 -3.0 0 0 0 — 0
*2019 Tennessee rFr 3 4 60 15.0 1 0 0 — 0
2020 Tennessee rSo 2 3 67 22.3 1 0 0 — 0
*2021 Tennessee rJr 12 64 1,081 16.9 12 0 0 — 0
*2022 Tennessee rSr 6 37 417 11.3 3 0 0 — 0

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • Excellent size and reliable hands for a possession receiver
  • A knack for making timely big plays and clutch catches — fearless over the middle and unimpeded by defenders barreling down on him
  • Having a direct NFL bloodline can’t hurt
  • Rose to the competition vs. Georgia and Alabama in 2021 breakout season (17-352-2)
  • Tracks over-the-shoulder throws as well as anyone in this draft class
  • Plus-body control and catch radius
  • Quality route-running traits — varied pacing, doesn’t tip his routes, understands comeback nuances
  • Proud and highly competitive — was willing to gut it out in 2022 before being shut down
  • Has the size and functional strength to improve as a blocker

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Cons

  • Unimpressive athleticism and speed — he won’t run away from many people in the NFL and doesn’t have immediate burst
  • Could stand to be more consistent coming out of his breaks — solid but not special in this regard
  • Limited production in college and is coming off a forgettable, injury-shortened season
  • Too reliant on his frame for creating separation
  • Lacks game-changing upside as a pro

Fantasy football outlook

Tillman reminds of Alshon Jeffery in many ways. The latter was a little better athlete, but the general comparison remains fair in terms of the offerings. Tillman will be at his best in a West Coast offense as a No. 2 target where he can rely on racking up volume over the middle with an occasional deep route to shake things up.

In 2023 fantasy drafts, consider him no more than a late-round roster filler. At 23 years old entering his rookie year, Tillman probably has a window of only two to four years of being a viable fantasy asset in dynasty leagues. The likeliest trajectory from the optimistic side of the coin has him in the WR2 conversation for PPR purposes, but it’s a safer bet that Tillman will be a career backup with spot-start potential.

Detroit Lions draft plans after Jameson Williams suspension

Breaking down the potential draft impact of the gambling-related suspension of Lions WR Jameson Williams

There was unfortunate news on Friday afternoon about the Detroit Lions and some of their players. It was reported that last season there were four Lions players that were sports betting.

Those four players have been suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy. C.J. Moore and Quintez Cephus are both suspended indefinitely and will be sidelined at least one year. Hours later, both Moore and Cephus were released by the Lions.

It was also announced that receivers Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill have both been suspended for six games. That news is unfortunate due to the projection for Jameson Williams to take a huge step forward this season. We’ll now have to wait but also hope that this doesn’t impact any further development on the young receivers career.

Jameson Williams’ agent releases a statement on his 6-game suspension

The question that we’ll need to have now is if the Detroit Lions are altering their draft board or game plan for the 2023 NFL Draft. As we know, the Lions have the 6th and 18th pick. In addition to those first round picks, five picks in the top-100 selections.

While I believe that the Lions were already targeting a handful of receivers in this draft, they might have to consider one much sooner than expected. If the Lions do consider drafting a receiver, here are three players worth keeping tabs on for the 2023 NFL Draft!

Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee 

There might not be a better true ‘X’ receiver in this year’s draft than Cedric Tillman from Tennessee. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the Scouting Combine. Playing with good body control, he’s got the size and ability to consistent win on 50/50 balls. Had Tillman not played through a high ankle sprain last season, we’d be talking about him more somewhere in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Even though Jameson Williams wasn’t projected to strictly align at the X’ in the Lions offense, they should still consider Tillman. I think that he could come in and help the Lions offense right away with the potential to start down the road. With how much the Lions have been connected to some of the prospects out of Tennessee this year, it wouldn’t surprise me if they focus on Tillman during the the draft.

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Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss 

This one is all about Ben Johnson getting a chess piece for his offense. Checking into the Scouting Combine at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, there’s much to be desired when watching Mingo from Ole Miss. Most of that is due to the overall frame that he carries.

With a muscular frame, Mingo is able to withstand contact on a consistent basis. More impressively to note is that he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds and posted a 39.5″ vertical jump. Outside of the size and athleticism, you’ll notice quickly that he moves all around the offense.

According to PFF, Mingo played 256 snaps in the slot, 456 snaps out wide and he played 130 snaps inline. He even took snaps out of the backfield last season. On tape, it’s evident with how Mingo moves all over the offense and you’d have to imagine that Ben Johnson could get pretty creative with a player like that. If they wanted to draft him, it would have to be somewhere on day two as his stock has consistently been on the rise all year.

Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State 

If you connect the dots to who the Lions met with during the pre-draft process, Jayden Reed is one of the more well-known names. Much of that is due to him playing three seasons at Michigan State. During Reed’s career with the Spartans, he recorded 147 receptions for 2069 yards and 18 touchdowns.

When watching the tape, you’ll see Reed run routes with plenty of snap and fluidity but there are times that he runs with high pad level. In addition to how he runs his routes, he’s got terrific tracking ability on the football. Whether it’s a vertical route or a corner route, he’s always able to turn his head around and find the football.

After a strong week at the Senior Bowl and a strong performance, there’s belief that Reed could be selected somewhere in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Lions have the 81st pick and if he’s available, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ended up being the pick. Putting him in the Lions offense, I’d project that he’d provide inside and outside versatility while being able to run deep down the field and after the catch in the short areas of the field.

2023 NFL Draft: Could Detroit draft a receiver that compares to Marvin Jones?

 

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 receivers

From Zay Flowers to Marvin Mims, here are Doug Farrar’s top eight receivers in the 2023 NFL draft class.

Last season, NFL quarterbacks dropped back to throw the ball 21,323 times. NFL teams deployed three receivers on 15,496 of those dropbacks (72.7%), so let’s just say that receivers are important. Not only that, but they’re important both outside and in the slot. The 3×1 set, which is the dominant formation in the league today, most commonly has one tight end and three receivers, which means you’re going to have at least one receiver in the slot, and most likely two.

Projecting all that into the 2023 draft class of receivers is interesting, because while there’s a lot of talent — this might be the deepest position group in this class — there are more smaller “move-around” guys than there are obvious alpha WR1 players that you can just put on the field and watch him dominate everybody. This class of targets will require more creativity and trait-matching from their NFL coaches and play-callers, and while that’s not a bad thing, you could wind up with some prospects in less-than-ideal spots.

All we can do on this end is to present the attributes and liabilities of these receivers in as much of a vacuum as possible, and that is the plan right here.

Here are Touchdown Wire’s top eight receivers in the 2023 NFL draft class.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).

(All prospect measurement percentiles courtesy of MockDraftable.com). 

2023 NFL Draft: The top 9 safeties

2023 NFL Draft: The top 11 cornerbacks

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 linebackers

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 interior defensive linemen

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 edge defenders

2023 NFL Draft: The top 5 offensive tackles

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 interior offensive linemen

2023 NFL Draft: The top 8 tight ends

Cardinals go defense early in new mock draft from Mel Kiper, Todd McShay

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay combine to give the Cardinals two defenders and two offensive players in the first three rounds of the draft.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay put together a three-round dueling mock draft this week, alternating selections.

The Arizona Cardinals have four picks in the first three rounds of the draft.

In their projections, they land two defensive players with their first two selections and go with offensive players with their two third-round picks.

Let’s have a look at who the Cardinals get.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Report: Rams hosted Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman for pre-draft visit

The Rams hosted Cedric Tillman for a pre-draft visit, showing interest in the 6-foot-3 wide receiver

The Los Angeles Rams could be in the market for a wide receiver this spring after agreeing to trade Allen Robinson to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The deal isn’t done yet, but it’s expected to be once Robinson passes his physical.

Leading up to the draft, the Rams have expressed interest in a few wideouts. That group now includes Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman. According to Matt Lombardo, the Rams had Tillman in for a pre-draft visit.

He’s a big, physical receiver who could go as early as the second or third round. He was limited to six games last season but in 2021, he had 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Volunteers.

With his size and athleticism, he would fit nicely in Los Angeles as a replacement for Robinson on the outside.

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