An NFL scout contacts Tillman after visiting ASU to check out another player. Tillman continues to perform well both on and off the field. He graduates summa cum laude in only three and a half years. Tillman remains in Tempe after graduation to prepare for NFL scouting. Although he’s snubbed by the NFL Scouting Combine, he resolves to impress the scouts at Pro-Day. Arizona Cardinals scouts attend with special focus on Tillman. When the draft commences, Tillman receives a low offer from the Cardinals as one of their last picks.

During preseason training, Tillman must prove himself to his new coaches to avoid being cut; thus, he brings such intense ferocity to every practice that he gives a veteran linebacker a career-ending injury. Usually, coaches prefer preseason practices to be run at less than full speed and maximum force, but the Cardinals are in a slump, so “head coach Vince Tobin decided than an inspired rookie who raised the intensity of preseason camp might not be a bad thing, and he allowed Tillman to continue to hit aggressively during practice” (89). Tillman proves himself well. In a surprise move, they start him as a free safety in the first game of the season.