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Amari Cooper's ascension to legendary status was a joy to watch. Not only was he as complete a receiver as you will find at the college level, but also he was a Heisman Trophy finalist at a position that is not exactly well-represented when it comes to the prestigious award.
However, DeAndrew White was Blake Sims's second option and quietly had a terrific season. 500+ yards, four scores and a 12.6 yard per reception average? That will suffice. What is staggering is that White's yards per catch average was actually higher during his 2013 campaign (16.7).
Cooper and White, both individually and as a tandem, struck a nice balance between being possession receivers and being home run threats. Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin found countless ways to burn defenses with the dynamic duo.
But just because Cooper and White are no longer in Tuscaloosa does not mean that Kiffin's pre-touchdown celebrations will come screeching to a halt in 2015.
ArDarius Stewart looks ready for a breakout season in his sophomore year, as does Robert Foster. Stewart earned some playing time as a freshman, most notably logging 63 and 51 receiving yards against Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina, respectively. Foster, meanwhile, had four grabs for 40 yards against WCU, but that game was essentially his only source of production last season.
The 2015 season obviously figures to be an entirely different story, as they will be thrust into expanded roles.
The Tide also welcome a group of outstanding freshman wide receivers, led by Coconut Creek, FL product Calvin Ridley. Ridley, who stands at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, makes plays effortlessly. Like pretty much any recruit ever, he could stand to get a tad bigger, but his tape speaks for itself. Ridley's skill set is remarkably polished, and his upside looks immense.
Daylon Charlot is another name Tide fans will likely get to know very, very well. Charlot possesses the same trait as Ridley in that he can make the game look incredibly easy. He is a supremely gifted athlete with soft hands, and he is also a deep ball threat. Cooper and White were so menacing because they could chip away at defenses or simply burn them on one bomb down the field. Charlot looks capable of this multi-faceted role as well.
Unsurprisingly, the Tide restocked every position group with a ridiculously stacked recruiting class. Yet there is something about Kiffin and this passing game that is becoming increasingly exciting as the season approaches. The shoes to fill are simply enormous, but the youngsters entering the fold are the "feed me the rock and watch me go to work" type of guys.
Kickoff cannot come soon enough, a sentiment Bama fans are certainly feeling as they look at this batch of pass catchers.