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Cedric Tillman may be a gamble worth taking for Chiefs

By Grant Tuttle

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Cedric Tillman #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts after making a catch for 28-yard touchdown reception in overtime during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Cedric Tillman #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts after making a catch for 28-yard touchdown reception in overtime during the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Cedric Tillman #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with a touchdown reception against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first quarter of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 30: Cedric Tillman #4 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with a touchdown reception against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first quarter of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

Reasons why the KC Chiefs should be skeptical of Cedric Tillman:

1. Injury/inconsistency

Cedric Tillman is not someone that should be considered a top-tier receiver in the draft. It would not be a stretch to imagine that he may not be selected until the third round. Had he had a full chance to showcase and develop his skill, however, he might be going earlier in the draft. Unfortunately, Tillman has battled injury and inconsistency throughout his college career.

Last season, Tillman spent much of the year on the sideline with a high-ankle sprain. When he was not injured, there were several games in which he would have moderate success or seemingly become a non-factor.

2. Limited Route Tree/Offensive simplicity

The NFL is a different animal than college football. In many cases, receivers struggle to make the jump to the pros because they have not been exposed to the same amount of work that an NFL playbook requires of them. Tillman is no exception to this rule.

At Tennessee, Tillman certainly benefited from running simple routes and understanding basic concepts. With tremendous physical upside, Tillman used his athletic traits to make big plays. In the NFL, he will have a lot of learning to do; Both in his route running and his understanding of technique.

3. Needs some simple technique work

On tape, Tillman’s ability to snatch the ball out of the air and play the ball perfectly stands out immediately. This ability of his comes very naturally to him. While it is impressive, he is still raw in terms of his technique. His route running is less sudden than it could be and he has a tendency to round some of his routes. In addition to this, he has a tendency to struggle against press coverages. The skills that he could improve in are those that he can quickly pick up from some NFL training and work in understanding leverages.

The bottom line for the KC Chiefs on Cedric Tillman:

Tillman should not be the Chiefs’ first-round pick, by any means. That being said, he should certainly be considered anywhere after that. With a high potential that could one day develop into something special, a Day 2 pick is definitely worth the gamble.

With that in mind, even if Tillman is a home run and develops into a top-tier talent, it is going to take some time. The Chiefs would be wise to either invest their top selection in a receiver or sign a talented veteran to pair with him, regardless of Tillman’s overall outcome.

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