College football lost enough air-assault weaponry following the 2021 season to outfit the latest Top Gun movie—including stars such as Alabama's Jameson Williams, Purdue's David Bell and the Ohio State combo of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson—but plenty of elite pass-catchers will return.
This is a deep, experienced group with the game film to back up their resumes.
Even the Biletnikoff Award winner, which goes to college football's top receiver, will return. Others are entering new surroundings with the star power in place to amplify their skill sets and turn them from good players into the nation's top guys at the position.
So, who will be the best in the sport?
Factoring in ability, upside, supporting cast and the potential to take over a game, Bleacher Report took a swing at ranking the best returning pass-catchers coming to an end zone near you in 2022.
10. Jacob Cowing, Arizona Wildcats
When Jacob Cowing left UTEP, he had plenty of suitors. His destination may surprise you, but it really shouldn't considering the way Jedd Fisch is selling players on the new-look Arizona Wildcats.
While they won just a single game in Fisch's first season a year ago, the Wildcats assembled the Pac-12's second-ranked recruiting class (No. 22 overall), and they've worked wonders in the portal. After securing Washington State transfer quarterback Jayden de Laura, they plucked Cowing, giving him a top target.
The former UTEP pass-catcher is returning to his home state for at least one year (he has more eligibility remaining) a season after leading the Miners with 1,367 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches. He was ninth nationally in yards per game and had eight 100-yard receiving games a season ago.
Teaming him with incoming freshman Tetairoa McMillan can give the Cats a big-time one-two punch, and a clear path to being the primary target gives Cowing the slight nod over others in consideration, such as incoming USC transfer Mario Williams.
Cowing proved he could get it done all three years with UTEP, gaining at least 550 yards through the air each season. Look for him to blossom into a star with the ability to put up big numbers in Fisch's rebuilt offense.
9. Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia Cavaliers
If you're looking for a surprise team in the ACC to compete with Clemson, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest, the Virginia Cavaliers might fit the bill.
While new head coach Tony Elliott didn't have his best season as Dabo Swinney's offensive coordinator a year ago, he has shown many times he can orchestrate units that put up points. With so many weapons back on that side of the ball, the Hoos will be tough to stop in 2022.
Quarterback Brennan Armstrong will lead the way, and pinball points could follow with the return of receivers Keytaon Thompson, Billy Kemp IV and Dontayvion Wicks.
Lavel Davis Jr. is a 6'7", pass-catcher who was hurt a year ago but also will add another weapon to a team that was third nationally in total yards and second in passing yards per game a season ago.
Wicks, though, may be the best of the bunch. The 6'1", 210-pound receiver finished last year as the team's leading receiver, grabbing 57 passes for 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns.
His combination of strength, athleticism and work ethic has made him a favorite in Charlottesville, according to the Daily Progress' Bennett Conlin, and the Louisiana native probably won't be mired in obscurity too long.
"I'm a lucky guy, and we're a lucky offense to have that guy," Armstrong told Conlin. Thompson might get more headlines right now, but Wicks is a star in the making.
8. Jermaine Burton, Alabama Crimson Tide
A year ago, few had heard a lot about Jameson Williams, the talented former Ohio State Buckeye who saw his reps decrease behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson and transferred to Alabama.
The change of scenery worked wonders for him as he teamed with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young for one of the nation's top tandems.
Now, it's Jermaine Burton's time to reap the benefits of so many catches opening up in the Crimson Tide offense.
Young, who's a near certainty to head to the NFL after 2022, is still around for his junior season. While the Tide have a lot of super young talent at receiver, Burton could turn into a star.
It was a big deal when he transferred from national champion Georgia, who will still have Stetson Bennett, to the Bulldogs' biggest recent SEC rival for supremacy—but viewed as a business decision, it makes sense. Burton has yet to eclipse 500 receiving yards in a season but had more than 400 in each of his first two years in Athens.
The 6'0", 200-pound California native's position on this list is more about potential than anything, but it would be a mistake to downplay what he could do as possibly Young's top target. A massive season is on the way.
7. Cedric Tillman, Tennessee Volunteers
On national signing day in 2018, it didn't cause much of a stir when then-Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt signed little-known 3-star wide receiver Cedric Tillman, who had offers from just UNLV, Hawaii and Weber State.
For three seasons, the Las Vegas native didn't do much in Knoxville. But when coach Josh Heupel came to town, all that changed.
The 6'3", 215-pound junior burst onto the scene as Hendon Hooker's top target and a deep threat who couldn't be stopped at times. He finished with 1,081 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Most importantly, Tillman was his best in the biggest games, torching Alabama for 152 yards and Georgia for 200 and then hauling in seven passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a wild Music City Bowl loss to Purdue.
As the year progressed, Tillman became a player every opponent had to scheme to defend. Even the best had trouble doing it.
With a deep class of pass-catchers outfitting the NFL draft this year, Tillman returned to Rocky Top with Hooker. While the Vols need more playmakers after Velus Jones Jr. and JaVonta Payton exhausted eligibility, Tillman is a big-bodied, field-stretching presence around whom Heupel can build his offense.