Ray Tillman

Height:
6-1
Weight:
215
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Lithonia, Ga.
High School:
Miller Grove
Major:
Communication

A physical and agile defender who was granted an extra year of eligibility after an injury-shortened 2017 season … Appeared to bounce back during spring drills and earned two-deep inclusion as top reserve at the “will” linebacking position behind Aaron Ramseur … Has played in 31 career games as a member of special teams and linebacking corps, and recorded 62 total tackles (33 solo) … Posted at least one stop in 16 contests (netted multiple totals nine times) … Fourteen (14) hits have occurred during special teams action … Was not credited with any tackles during the first spring scrimmage on March 17, but tallied two stops and knocked down a pass in the Purple Gold Game (March 24).

2017: Started the first two games (James Madison & West Virginia) before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year … Tallied 11 tackles (six solo) … Booked a season-high eight stops (four solo) vs. the Dukes and followed up with three hits against the Mountaineers … One of the tackles was on special teams (punt return).

2016: Appeared in 11 games off the bench as a reserve inside linebacker and as a key special teams contributor … Credited with 26 stops (16 solo), one fumble recovery (Connecticut) and one pass breakup (UCF) … Eighteen (18) tackles came in milestone performance against Navy’s triple-option attack at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, which ranked as the 14th-highest single game total in ECU history … Followed performance against Midshipmen with a five-stop night at Temple a week later … Also turned in a pair of successful hits in opener vs. Western Carolina and single takedown vs. Huskies … Made 23 tackles on rushes, one on a pass play and two on special teams (kickoff and punt coverage) … Did not play at USF in early October matchup.

2015: Played in 10 contests as a sophomore, all off the bench as a reserve defender and special teams performer … Did not experience action in late season games against Connecticut and Cincinnati … Booked 16 stops (eight solo) … Produced a combined 13 tackles in back-to-back outings in mid-October, collecting a season-best seven hits during the Pirates’ 30-17 win against Tulsa at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium before adding six more in a nationally-televised Thursday night clash against Temple … Recorded single stops in tilts vs. BYU, USF and UCF … Closed year with at least one tackle in last five consecutive games played in … Did not register statistics in first five contests (Towson, Florida, Navy, Virginia Tech, SMU) … Ten (10) stops came on rushes, three on passing plays and three more on special teams (2/kickoff returns, 1/punt returns).

2014: Appeared in eight games during true freshman season as a member of special teams and inside linebacking corps ... Did not play in the last five contests vs. Cincinnati, Tulane, Tulsa, UCF and Florida (Birmingham Bowl) … Totaled nine tackles (three solo) … Elevated to depth chart status prior to the Virginia Tech game after Devaris Brunson suffered a season-ending knee injury at South Carolina ... Eight of nine stops came on special teams, ranking fourth on the squad … All eight hits were made on kickoff return coverage squad … Tallied at least one tackle in five of eight games played with a season-high four against North Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium ... Also added a pair of stops in collegiate debut against N.C. Central ... Had single tackles vs. South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Connecticut … Did not record any stats against SMU, USF or Temple … Selected as the special teams captain prior to the SMU tilt, which also marked ECU’s inaugural American Athletic Conference contest.

High School: An ESPN.com three-star prospect who earned a scout grade of 74 and ranked among the Top 50 running backs in the Southeast … Selected as the Class 6-AAAAA Defensive Player-of-the-Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution … Played for coach Daydrin Shell on a Wolverine squad that compiled a 4-6 mark in 2013 … Made his commitment to ECU on Feb. 2 at the conclusion of the Pirates’ final visitation weekend … Recruited by Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ole Miss and Tennessee early during the process.

Personal: Full name is Ray Vartron Tillman … Earned a bachelor’s degree in communications during ECU’s Spring Commencement Exercises on May 4, 2018 … Earned ECU Honor Roll accolades for work in the classroom during the 2015 spring semester, 2017 fall semester and again during the 2018 spring semester.