Tennessee Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The preseason accolades continue to roll in for wide receiver Cedric Tillman as the redshirt senior was named to the 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year preseason watch list on Friday, as announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Tillman was one of 50 student-athletes recognized on the award’s preseason list of “players to watch” and one of just nine wideouts. He and LSU’s Kayshon Boutte were the only receivers from the SEC to be named to the list.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year award is the fourth-oldest individual accolade and one of the most prestigious honors in college football.
Tillman emerged as one of the SEC’s best playmakers in 2021, finishing the year with 64 catches for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Las Vegas native rounded out his redshirt junior season ranking ninth in the SEC in catches, fifth in receiving yards, third in touchdowns and third in average yards per catch (16.9). He was especially productive against AP Top 25 competition, finishing fourth in the nation with 535 yards and four touchdowns against ranked foes.
In Tennessee single-season annals, Tillman ranked tied for eighth in catches, fourth in receiving yards and tied for second with Cedrick Wilson (2000) in touchdowns. He caught a TD pass in a school-record seven consecutive games to end the season, including a combined five in the final two games of the year.
Tillman notched five 100-yard receiving games, including four-straight to end the 2021 season. He capped his historic campaign with an emphatic performance at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl against Purdue, reeling in seven catches for 150 yards and a school-record-tying three touchdowns. Tillman’s postseason performance in Nashville pushed him past the 1,000-yard mark for the season, becoming UT’s eighth receiver to accomplish the feat and first since 2012.
Tillman is also on preseason watch lists for the Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards and was named a preseason first-team All-SEC selection by Athlon and Phil Steele.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in mid-November. Appearing on the preseason watch list is not a requirement for a player to win the award.
The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 130 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s 55th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut in early 2023.
The full Walter Camp Award preseason watch list can be seen HERE.
2022 Tennessee Football Preseason Honors
R-Sr. LB Jeremy Banks
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
Jr. DL Tyler Baron
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
Sr. P Paxton Brooks
Ray Guy Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele)
Sr. OL Jerome Carvin
All-SEC Third Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
Sr. DB Trevon Flowers
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
R-Sr. QB Hendon Hooker
Davey O’Brien Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele)
Jr. OL Cooper Mays
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
Jr. RB Jabari Small
Doak Walker Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
R-Sr. WR Cedric Tillman
Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
Third-Team All-American (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC First Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Second Team (Media)
R-Sr. TE Jacob Warren
John Mackey Award Watch List
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Sr. OL Darnell Wright
All-SEC Second Team (Media)
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
Sr. DL/LB Byron Young
All-SEC First Team (Athlon, Media)
All-SEC Second Team (Phil Steele)