Cedric Tillman Bio
Cedric Jashon Tillman is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Standing about 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 216 pounds, he plays on the outside of the offensive formation and uses his size to win contested catches. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tillman developed into a reliable target during his college career at the University of Tennessee before being selected by the Browns in the 2023 NFL draft. He is the son of a former NFL defensive back who also carried the name Cedric Tillman.
Early Life and Background
Cedric Jashon Tillman was born on April 19, 2000, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He grew up in a household shaped by professional football, as his father, Cedric Tillman, played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. That background gave the younger Tillman an early understanding of the demands and discipline required to reach the highest level of the sport.
Tillman attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he played wide receiver and developed into a three-star recruiting prospect according to 247Sports. His size and catching radius drew attention from college programs across the country, and in February 2018 he committed to the University of Tennessee to play college football. The decision set the stage for a five-year run with the Volunteers that would shape his professional future.
Path to American Football
Tillman arrived at Tennessee as a developmental receiver in 2018 and redshirted his first season to add bulk and refine his technique. From 2018 through 2020 he served mostly as a backup, appearing in a reserve role and finishing that stretch with eight receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. His first college score came on September 14, 2019, in a 45–0 victory over Chattanooga, and he added a 46-yard receiving touchdown in the 2020 regular-season finale against Texas A&M.
The 2021 season marked Tillman’s true arrival as a featured pass catcher. He became a starter and produced one of the most impressive individual seasons in recent Tennessee history, highlighted by a 152-yard, one-touchdown performance against fourth-ranked Alabama and a 200-yard, one-touchdown game against top-ranked Georgia. He finished 2021 with 64 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking third in the Southeastern Conference in scoring catches, and closed the year with a three-touchdown bowl performance against Purdue in the Music City Bowl.
After choosing to return for a final college season in 2022, Tillman dealt with an ankle injury that limited him to six games. Despite the shortened year, he produced 37 receptions for 417 yards and three touchdowns before declaring for the 2023 NFL draft. His combination of size, route polish, and red-zone production made him one of the most experienced senior receivers in his class.
Cedric Tillman Career
Early Career (2023)
Tillman’s professional career began when the Cleveland Browns selected him in the third round, 74th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft. The pick reflected his upside as a big-bodied outside receiver who could contribute immediately on intermediate and contested routes. He appeared in 14 games and started three during his rookie season, finishing the year with 21 receptions for 224 receiving yards.
While his rookie production was modest, the Browns used the season to integrate him into the offense and to build the timing and chemistry needed for a larger role. He split time between outside alignments and slot snaps, and his practice habits helped establish trust with the quarterbacks on the roster.
NFL Breakthrough (2024)
Tillman’s 2024 season represented the first true breakout of his professional career. In Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens, he recorded 99 receiving yards and scored his first two NFL touchdowns in a 29–24 victory, signaling that his transition from college role player to NFL contributor was accelerating. The performance also demonstrated his ability to produce against AFC North competition.
His progress was interrupted in Week 12 when he suffered a concussion during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The injury forced him to miss the following week’s matchup against the Denver Broncos, and he was placed on injured reserve on December 31, ending his season early. He finished 2024 with 29 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games, a meaningful step forward from his rookie totals.
Cleveland Browns Era (2025)
Heading into the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns continued to feature Tillman as part of their young wide receiver group. On September 29, 2025, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Tillman would miss several weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Browns managed his recovery carefully, and he was activated on November 8 ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the New York Jets. His return gave the offense a familiar size target on the perimeter for the second half of the season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Tillman is at his best on intermediate crossing routes, back-shoulder throws, and red-zone fades where his length and large catch radius create mismatches. He wins contested catches by extending away from his frame and tracks the ball well down the field, traits that translate to the sideline and the end zone. Within the Cleveland scheme, his role emphasizes high-point targets, third-down reliability, and finishing drives in scoring territory.
Notable Events and Milestones
Two performances stand out in Tillman’s young career: his 200-yard game against Georgia in 2021, which made him the first Tennessee Volunteer to reach that mark since Cordarrelle Patterson in 2012, and his first two-touchdown NFL game against Baltimore in 2024. Both games illustrated the ceiling of his game and the impact he can have when he is fully healthy.
Cedric Tillman Career Wins
Tillman’s verified career statistics include his 2021 college totals of 64 receptions for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns at Tennessee, his 2022 college totals of 37 receptions for 417 yards and three touchdowns, his 2023 NFL totals of 21 receptions for 224 yards, and his 2024 NFL totals of 29 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns. These figures document a steady climb in production as he has taken on larger roles at each level.
Tennessee Volunteers Highlights
Across his time at Tennessee, Tillman recorded 101 receptions for 1,498 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in 38 games. His 12-touchdown 2021 season stands as his signature college year, including three scores in the Music City Bowl against Purdue. He capped his college career by declaring for the 2023 NFL draft.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his college totals, Tillman’s first multi-touchdown professional game came against the Baltimore Ravens in 2024, and his activation in November 2025 marked an important return from injury. These moments trace a young receiver building a consistent résumé with the Cleveland Browns.
Cedric Tillman Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Cedric Jashon Tillman comes from a football family. His father, also named Cedric Tillman, played in the NFL as a defensive back for the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. Growing up around the game gave the younger Tillman an early understanding of professional preparation and helped shape his path to the league.
Personal Life
Tillman attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas and went on to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Public details about his personal life beyond family and education remain limited.
2025 Season Performance
Tillman entered the 2025 season looking to build on his late-2024 momentum with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in the early weeks of the year before a hamstring injury in the Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions forced him to the sideline. Head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated in late September that the receiver would miss several weeks while recovering.
The Browns placed Tillman on injured reserve before activating him on November 8, in time for the Week 10 matchup against the New York Jets. His return gave the offense another outside option as the season moved toward its final stretch, and it provided him an opportunity to re-establish rhythm with the quarterbacks and offensive staff.
Looking ahead, Tillman’s focus is on staying healthy and converting his size and route ability into consistent weekly production. If he can remain on the field, the Browns have a young, physical receiver capable of contributing on early downs, in the red zone, and on third-and-medium situations across the second half of 2025 and beyond.