Pierce played on special teams for the Bearcats as a true freshman in 2018, recording six coverage tackles and shifting from receiver to linebacker during bowl game practices. He got his chance to shine on offense the following fall, however, starting 13 of 14 contests and leading the team with 652 receiving yards (37 receptions, 17.6 per rec., two TDs). Pierce led UC with 18.5 yards per reception in 2020 (17-315, three TDs) but was limited to four starts in six games due to a shoulder injury. He was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2021 as Cincinnati's top receiver (52-884-17.0, seven TDs in 14 games, 13 starts). Pierce was also named a first-team Academic All-American by the sports information directors. He lettered in football, volleyball, basketball and track at Glenbard West High School in the Chicago area. Pierce's father, Greg, played football at Northwestern and his mother, Stephanie, was on the Wildcats' volleyball squad. His brother, Justin, played basketball at William & Mary and North Carolina. -- by Chad Reuter

Woods was rated a top-25 quarterback prospect nationally in high school, leading Cedar Grove to a state title his senior year. He signed with Oklahoma State as a passer but moved to tight end during pre-bowl practices his redshirt season. Big 12 coaches thought enough of his first year playing tight end that they voted him honorable mention all-conference as he started seven of 11 games played (7-120-17.1, two TDs). He was also an honorable mention selection in 2019 (16-112-7.0, one TD in 13 games, 12 starts) and 2020 (8-129-16.1, one TD in 10 games, nine starts). Woods transferred from Oklahoma State to Virginia in 2021, garnering first-team All-ACC honors in the fall by grabbing 44 passes for 598 yards (13.6 per) and eight touchdowns in 11 games (10 starts). -- by Chad Reuter

Raimann (pronounced ray-man) is an Austrian native who played American football there before coming to Michigan on a high school exchange program. He played wide receiver and tight end at Delton-Kellogg and started at tight end for the Chippewas in 2018 (10-88-8.8, four starts in 12 games) and 2019 (10-76-7.6, seven starts in 14 games) before moving to the offensive line for 2020. Raimann started all six games at left tackle for CMU that year and gained national notice for his first-team All-MAC play in 12 starts at the position in 2021. The MAC Medal of Excellence winner for academic and athletic excellence opted out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft. -- by Chad Reuter

Maryland kept Cross in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia area) after he was an All-Washington D.C. Metro pick as a senior at DeMatha Catholic High School. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference pick all three years with the Terrapins. Cross posted 45 tackles and tied for the team lead with two interceptions and five pass breakups in 12 games (five starts) as a true freshman in 2019 and started three of four games played in 2020 (23 tackles, one interception, three pass breakups). In 2021, he recorded 67 tackles (3.5 for loss with three sacks), tied for the team lead with three interceptions and added four pass breakups) and two forced fumbles. -- by Chad Reuter

Johnson contributed early in his career with the Bears, starting nine times in 11 appearances as a redshirt freshman (18 tackles, three for loss with one sack) and sophomore (24 tackles, four for loss with 2.5 sacks, one blocked kick). The former football and wrestling star at Illinois' Plainfield South High School started seven of 11 games in 2019 (18 tackles) before doubling up on second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in 2020-21 (27 tackles, six for loss with 1.5 sacks, one blocked kick in 10 fall/spring games) and the fall of 2021 (43 tackles, 6.5 for loss with 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, three blocked kicks). His father, also named Eric, earned All-MVFC honors himself at Illinois State before playing in the CFL and XFL. -- by Chad Reuter

Ogletree, a first-team All-Ohio pick in football and basketball at Northridge High School, signed with Division II Findlay University in 2016. He was a reserve receiver as a freshman (3-29-9.7 in six games) and started 11 games as a sophomore (23-328-14.3, five TDs) before garnering honorable mention All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors in 2018 (28-428-15.3, team-high five TDs in 10 starts). Ogletree did not play in 2019 and moved on to Youngstown State in 2020, starting two of the team's seven spring 2021 games at tight end (12-109-15.6). In the fall of 2021, he started nine of 10 games, catching 28 passes for 282 yards (10.1 per). -- by Chad Reuter

Brooks redshirted in 2016, was a reserve for two years and then a part-time starter for two more before earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2021. He led UC with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks among his 56 total tackles in 14 starts. Prior to his breakout, the Virginia native posted 16 stops in 12 games in 2017, 23 in 12 games in 2018, and then earned two starts in 14 appearances in 2019 (40 tackles, 7.5 for loss with two sacks, two pass breakups). Brooks started four of nine games played in 2020 (27 tackles, three for loss with 2.5 sacks). -- by Chad Reuter

Thomas played in five games as a true freshman (one tackle). The former receiver and defensive back from Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh stepped into a starting role in 2018, beginning nine contests (39 tackles, team-high two interceptions, tied for the team lead with four pass breakups). Thomas was an honorable mention All-Ivy League selection in 2019 at linebacker, starting nine games (39 tackles, seven for loss with one sack, two interceptions, five pass breakups). Yale did not play in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Thomas moved to safety for his final year, garnering first-team All-Ivy League honors last fall (50 tackles, team-high two interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 10 starts). -- by Chad Reuter