Cedric Tillman Cedric Tillman during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
It appears the Los Angeles Rams are wasting no time in trying to figure out who can replace Allen Robinson.
One day after the trade deal between L.A. and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Heavy NFL senior reporter Matt Lombardo reports on Wednesday, April 19 that the Rams held a pre-draft meeting with University of Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman.
Tillman was one of the top receiving options for another potential Rams draft target in quarterback Hendon Hooker. Most intriguing about this visit: Tillman is taller than the Pro Bowler Robinson at 6-foot-3 and comes with a similar build.
I’m told #Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman had a pre-draft visit with the #Rams.
Tillman, 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, caught 37 passes for 417 yards and 3 touchdowns last season | @HeavyOnSports
Cedric Tillman Is First WR Name to Surface Following Robinson Trade
While the Rams have had their name linked to potential wide receiver fits with the 2023 NFL draft on the horizon, the Volunteer is the first name post-Robinson trade to surface on the L.A. radar.
He’s a past 1,000-yard wide receiver in the Southeastern Conference — netting 1,081 yards on 64 catches and scoring 12 touchdowns in 2021. His 2022, however, was cut short to six games due to an ankle injury. Yet, in four of those game, Tillman hauled in between six to nine receptions — including two nine-catch outings against No. 17 Pittsburgh on September 10 and nine grabs for 81 yards on November 19 versus South Carolina.
Tillman, whose father played in the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos, announced on December 12, 2022 that he was declaring for the NFL Draft.
Thank you Vol Nation. I will always bleed orange 🧡🧡
Former NFL wide receiver and Volunteer Donte Stallworth gave Tillman praise following his draft decision.
“Thank you for all you did in the orange, my brother! was great watching you play and will be closely following your NFL career. Best of luck, 4!!” Stallworth shared on Twitter.
Can Cedric Tillman Fit Inside ‘Rams House?’
Now comes this: Can Tillman be what “A-Rob” could’ve been if he were to be lured into the “Rams House?”
The towering frame already makes him enticing enough for NFL teams like the Rams to take an interest. But here’s what could get more NFL teams gravitated toward Tillman: He’s been compared to Indianapolis Colts star wide receiver and former second-rounder Michael Pittman II by NFL.com draft expert Lance Zierlein.
“Highly competitive wideout with an enticing blend of size, skill and toughness that fits what teams look for in an NFL starter. Tillman was a monster in 2021, ringing up impressive performances against the likes of Alabama and Georgia. He proved he could catch the ball through contact underneath while imposing his size and ball skills on opponents when pulling in the deep ball,” Zierlein wrote as part of his evaluation of Tillman.
However, the dilemma facing Tillman is his speed — as he was timed at just 4.54 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indy.
“He has average speed and needs to play with better explosiveness out of his breaks, as NFL windows will become much tighter on the first two levels,” Zierlein said. “A high ankle sprain suffered in the third game of the season robbed him of a highly productive 2022, but his toughness to make it back early and compete late in the year has impressed evaluators.”
Tillman’s best description of his game is ball traffic controller — meaning he’s highly skilled at snatching the ball in traffic. The Rams had hoped to see that element from Robinson when they signed him to his three-year, $46.5 million deal but received minimal production from him in 2022.
Now, Tillman’s meeting with the Rams sparks the intrigue of him possibly being Robinson’s replacement.