The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Green Bay Packers have a glaring hole at wide receiver. With Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs the Packers have a solid foundation in place. That’s not enough. More talent is needed.
At some point this offseason Brian Gutekunst will likely bring in a veteran to pair with Watson, Doubs, and Samori Toure.
Where the real jump in talent is going to come is through the 2023 NFL Draft. It would be shocking if Gutekunst didn’t spend a Top 100 pick on a wide receiver. A player that Gutekunst could target on the second day of the draft is Cedric Tillman. The Tennessee wide receiver checks in at No. 16 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
Tillman, a three-star recruit out of Nevada caught two touchdowns during his first three seasons at Tennessee.
Tillman enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021 when he caught 64 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns. He finished the season with a bang, setting a program record for consecutive games with a touchdown reception (seven). During that seven-game stretch, Tillman reeled in 48 receptions for 871 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This past season, Tillman missed six games due to an ankle injury. In six games, Tillman recorded 37 receptions for 417 yards and three touchdowns.
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.
“Tillman’s physicality is the common denominator in all of his best traits,” Adam Sparks, the Tennessee reporter for Knox News said. “At Tennessee, he was a deep threat despite not touting breakaway speed. That’s because he used his strength to get off press-man coverage, positioned his body well for catches, and used his size effectively to high-point passes against smaller defenders. In the NFL, he’ll probably be more of a possession receiver. Those same physical traits should serve him well in that role. He fights through press-man and has great hands amid traffic. He also blocks very well on the perimeter.”
Tillman isn’t a twitchy or explosive athlete. However, he has the buildup speed and size to win vertically. He’s physical and has no issue making catches in a crowd in the middle of the field. He doesn’t let defensive backs disrupt his path. He has strong hands and tracks the ball well.
“Tillman is a very good route-runner,” Sparks said. “Despite being a bigger receiver, he has good balance. Tennessee had the fastest offense in college football the past two years and it requires wide receivers to be precise in their routes despite going at that pace. If receivers get tired and lazy, their routes can get sloppy. That never appeared to be the case for Tillman.”
Tillman doesn’t have a ton of wiggle to his game. He’s not much of a YAC threat. However, with his size and strength, he can be a load to take down for defensive backs. If he makes the first defender miss, he can pick up yards quickly with his long strides.
Tillman is a good blocker out on the edges. With his frame and strength, he’s able to drive defensive backs downfield and out of the play.
“Blocking is one of the better aspects of Tillman’s game,” Sparks said. “I don’t think that was a strength early in his career, but it certainly was over the past two seasons. A big part of Tennessee’s offense (No. 1 in scoring and yards in college football) is the run game. Another key piece is wide receiver screens. Tillman played an integral role in blocking on the perimeter for both. Find short plays that turned into long gains, and you’ll likely see Tillman making a key block near the line of scrimmage.”
Fit with the Packers
The Packers need to surround Jordan Love with weapons. Watson has the makings of the team’s No. 1 wide receiver and proved to be an electric playmaker. Doubs could serve as the team’s No. 2 or No. 3 wide receiver. Toure likely has a spot as the team’s No. 4 or No. 5 wide receiver.
With his size, strength, and reliable hands, Tillman could be a quality addition to Green Bay’s wide receiver room.
“If an NFL franchise values big sure-handed receivers who can block, Tillman is a good option,” Sparks said. “His transition to the physicality of the NFL shouldn’t be a problem. If he can get off press-man coverage against SEC cornerbacks, he should be able to do it in the NFL. I think the makeup of the overall receiving corps matters, though. Much of Tillman’s film features deep passes, but his lack of speed may be exposed in the NFL. So if a team already has a burner, Tillman can be a good complementary receiver who can occasionally get open deep with deceptive deep-ball abilities. He probably isn’t a consistent deep threat at that level. But he can be a very good possession or intermediate receiver because of his physicality and route-running.”
Gutekunst needs to continue to pour resources into the wide receiver room. Gutekunst traded up in the third round to select Amari Rodgers in the 2021 NFL Draft. A move that’s cringeworthy now, but a Top 100 pick nonetheless. He followed that up by trading up in the second round to select Watson in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Tillman checks all the boxes and could be a target for the Packers as they continue to remodel the wide receiver room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.