Sweet NIL deal: Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman is newest ‘Cookie Monster’

Talk about a sweet NIL deal. The Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company based in Knoxville, Tenn., announced Tennessee Volunteers senior receiver Cedric Tillman will be their official “Cookie Monster” for the upcoming football season.

Last season, Moonshine Mountain Cookies partnered with defensive back Alontae Taylor. If Taylor made an interception, the Knoxville company gave two free cookies to anyone who stopped in after the game. The NIL deal with Taylor was widely viewed as one of the best and sweetest in the country.

This time around if Tillman catches two touchdown passes in any game this year, Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company will give away two free cookies.

Tillman is one of the top returning receivers in the SEC. He had 1,081 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns in 2021, so there’s a good chance Moonshine Mountain Cookies may be giving away a lot of cookies.

Moonshine Mountain Cookies shared a behind-the-scenes video on Tuesday of their upcoming commercial with Tillman. In the social media posting, the company said Tillman’s favorite cookies are Berry White.

The company currently has eight different cookies on its menu, including Rocky Top, Nutty Butty Holly and John Lemon. Tillman’s favorite Berry White features white chocolate, real strawberries, real butter and a special kicker.

“Real Strawberries and white chocolate find pure romance with a splash of strawberry moonshine in this one-of-a-kind cookie combination,” the cookie company’s menu says. “No need to buy fussy chocolate-covered strawberries when you can get these flavors framed within our Berry White Cookie. We know you ‘Can’t get enough of this cookie, babe.’”

Furthermore, Cedric Tillman has an On3 NIL Valuation of $294,000. He’s second on the Tennessee roster only behind quarterback Hendon Hooker, who has a $656,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

The On3 NIL Valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time. Tillman ranks No. 100 in the On3 College Football NIL Rankings. Tillman has also agreed to a NIL deal with Spyre Sports Group, a Tennessee-focused collective.

Tillman is apparently fired up to be the new “Cookie Monster.”

“UT fans, I’m your new Cookie Monster,” he said in a tweet. “I’m excited to continue the best NIL deal in the country with you. Go Vols.”