Pickett's career with the Panthers got off to a big start as a freshman, leading the team to a win over Miami in his first and only start of the year (39-of-66, 59.1%, 509 yards, one TD, one INT; 26-93-3.6, two TDs rushing in four appearances). He started all 14 games the next season, throwing for 1,969 yards (180-310-58.1) and 12 touchdowns (six INTs) while scoring three times on the ground (117-220-1.9). The former top-10, pro-style quarterback recruit from Ocean Township High School in New Jersey was the full-time starter as a junior, as well, completing 61.6 percent of his passes (289-of-469) for 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns against nine interceptions (also 95-110-1.2, two TDs rushing). Pickett was the Quick Lane Bowl MVP (27-of-39, 361 yards, three TDs) in the team's win over Eastern Michigan, setting a school record with a 96-yard TD pass. The 2020 team captain started nine games that season (203-of-332, 61.1%, 2,408 yards, 13 TDs, nine INTs; 81-145-1.8, eight TDs rushing), missing two contests with an ankle injury. Pickett decided to return to school instead of going to the NFL for one final season in 2021, which paid off handsomely with many awards (Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, Senior CLASS Award, second-team Associated Press All-American, ACC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year) in addition to landing finalist spots for the Heisman Trophy (finished third in the voting), Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Davey O'Brien Award. He led the Panthers to the ACC Championship, ranked sixth in the FBS with a school-record 4,319 passing yards and fourth with 334 completions (497 attempts, 67.2 percent) and an ACC-record 42 passing touchdowns (just seven INT). Pickett also broke Pitt career records with 12,303 passing yards and broke Dan Marino's record with 81 passing touchdowns. He also used his feet to run for 241 yards and five scores in 2021. Pickett started 13 games in his final year, opting out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft. His father, Ken, is in the Shippensburg (PA) University Athletics Hall of Fame his play at linebacker. -- by Chad Reuter

Pickens made an instant impact in his first year in Athens, landing on the SEC All-Freshman Team and sharing the team's Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award after leading the squad with 49 receptions, 727 receiving yards (14.8 per rec.) and eight receiving touchdowns. He played in all 14 games with two starts, though he was suspended for the first half of the Georgia Tech game for violation of team rules and then got into a fight with a Georgia Tech player that cost him the first half of the SEC Championship Game against LSU. The top 25 overall recruit nationally from Hoover High School in Alabama started all eight games in 2020, leading the team with eight touchdowns (36-513-14.2). He tore an ACL in spring 2021 practices but returned to play in the last four games (5-107-21.4) of the team's national championship season, stretching out for a 52-yard pass in the title game. Pickens was on the A.J. Green Family Football Scholarship while at Georgia, named after the former Georgia star and long-time NFL receiver. Pickens' brother, Chris Humes, played football at Arkansas State and in the Canadian Football League for Winnipeg for two years. -- by Chad Reuter

Leal (pronounced lee-AL) was a five-star prospect from San Antonio who chose Texas A&M early in the process despite offers from many schools. He enrolled early but had surgery on a pre-existing injury, so he did not partake in 2019 spring practices. Leal played well enough in the fall, however, to be named the team's Top Defensive Newcomer (38 tackles, 5.5 for loss with two sacks, in 13 games) after taking over as a starter for seven games when Micheal Clemons went down to injury. He started all 10 games for the Aggies in 2020 (37 tackles, seven for loss with 2.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups) and was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team with his seven tackles, one for loss, in the Orange Bowl win over North Carolina. Leal played defensive end most of that season but shifted inside when Justin Madubuike left the team to prepare for the NFL draft. The Associated Press named Leal a first-team All-American in 2021, SEC coaches voted him a first-team all-conference pick and he was named a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's top defensive end after racking up 58 tackles, 12.5 for loss with 8.5 sacks, and two pass breakups in 12 starts. The team could not play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl due to COVID-19 issues on the squad. -- by Chad Reuter

Austin is a Memphis native who always wanted to play for the Tigers. He joined the football team as a preferred walk-on (just like NFL wideout Anthony Miller) and the track squad as a sprinter. He earned 2019 second-team All-American track honors in the 4x100-meter relay and several All-American Athletic Conference honors in various events. As a redshirt freshman with the football team in 2018, Austin played in 11 games as a reserve (2-24-12.0 receiving; 83-yard TD in his only carry). He played in 13 games off the bench in 2019 (17-315-18.5, three TDs receiving; 4-3-0.8, one TD rushing), finally getting his scholarship after a team win against Houston in November. Austin was a first-team All-AAC selection in 2020 after ranking sixth in the FBS with 11 receiving touchdowns and eighth with 1,053 receiving yards on 63 receptions for 16.7 yards per catch. He also scored on one punt return that season (20-188-9.4). He led the Tigers in receiving again in 2021 (74-1,149-15.5, eight TDs in 12 games, including 11 starts) to receive first-team all-conference notice while also scoring on his only rushing attempt (69 yards) and on a controversial 94-yard punt return (5-135-27.0 on punt returns for the year). Austin opted out of the Hawaii Bowl but the game was eventually cancelled as the Hawaii football program had COVID-19 issues. -- by Chad Reuter

Heyward is the son of the late NFL running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, who passed away from a brain tumor at 39 years old in 2006. One brother, Cam, played at Ohio State and is an All-Pro defensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another brother, Craig Jr., played football at Middle Tennessee State and another, Corey, played basketball at Georgia Tech. Connor continued the family football legacy in East Lansing after being named an honorable mention All-Georgia selection his senior year at Peachtree Ridge High School. Heyward played in 12 games as a reserve his true freshman season (3-10-3.3 rushing; 4-13-3.3, one TD receiving; 20-436-21.8 kick returns), but his game took off in 2019, when he was named a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player (led team with 118-529-4.5, five TDs rushing; 32-249-7.8 receiving; 13-287-22.1 kick returns in 13 games, eight starts). After playing in four games as a reserve in 2019 (24-79-3.3 rushing; 7-52-7.4, one TD receiving), however, he redshirted and entered the transfer portal. The hiring of new head coach Mel Tucker changed his mind and he started six of seven contests for the Spartans in 2020 (65-200-3.1 rushing; 18-71-3.9, two TDs receiving). Heyward moved to tight end in 2021, garnering honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference honors (35-326-9.3, two TDs receiving; 1-7-7.0 rushing in 13 starts). -- by Chad Reuter

Robinson signed with Presbyterian College after a strong senior season at Lee County High School in Georgia. He led the Blue Hose with five rushing touchdowns (75-332-4.4; also 2-5-2.5 receiving). Robinson transferred to Southeast Missouri State in 2018, playing in all 13 games as a reserve (74-364-4.9, four TDs rushing; 5-31-6.2 receiving) and then started five of 12 games played in 2019 (117-545-4.7, team-high seven TDs rushing; 9-31-3.4 receiving). Robinson decided to walk on at Ole Miss, moving from running back to linebacker on the scout team as he sat out the 2020 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Coaches awarded him a scholarship before fall camp in 2021, however, and he started nine of 13 contests (92 tackles, 8.5 for loss with three sacks). -- by Chad Reuter

Oladokun (pronounced oh-luh-DOH-kin) signed with South Florida out of Sickles High School in Tampa, earning the squad's Scout Team Offensive Award while he redshirted in 2016. He played in two games as a backup in 2017 (1-1-100.0, 12 yards) and started three of six appearances the following year (22-44-50.0, 285 yards, three TDs, one INT passing; 25-19-0.8 rushing). Oladokun transferred to Samford for the 2019 campaign, starting eight of 12 games played (169-272-62.1, 2,058 yards, 18 TDs, seven INTs passing; 127-491-3.9, eight TDs rushing). He only received one start in the team's 2021 spring schedule (37-56-66.1, 221 yards, one TD, two INTs passing; 22-26-1.2, two TDs rushing). He transferred to South Dakota State and became a team leader in the fall as an honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection (238-382-62.3, 3,164, 25 TDs, seven INTs passing; 73-166-2.3, two TDs rushing in 15 starts). -- by Chad Reuter