Confetti rained down from the roof at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and Alabama’s players slowly got out of dodge to let Georgia celebrate its first national title since 1980. At that very forgettable moment, Crimson Tide fans could never have dreamed that one of the players looking to create a different ending in 2022 would come from the program that denied them another crown on that cold January night.

But that’s exactly where we are, because ex-Georgia nemesis Jermaine Burton is now in Tuscaloosa, and he’s determined to help make a perceived weaker wide receiver room look a lot better than many observers think it will this fall. Burton caught 26 passes for 497 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Bulldogs during last season’s magical title run, and he added 2 catches for 28 yards on the biggest stage of all as the Bulldogs outlasted the Tide.

A few short weeks later, Burton announced he was heading to the other side of the rivalry, transferring to Alabama and being received with open arms and a ton of anticipation for what this former enemy-turned-ally can do to help the Tide get back on top. The junior from Calabasas, Calif., who also caught 27 balls for 404 yards and 3 TDs as a freshman in 2020, will be counted on right away for top-level production, with the Tide losing its top 3 pass catchers from 2021 who combined for more than 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Gone is John Metchie, a 2nd-round draft pick of the Houston Texans. Gone is Jameson Williams, a 1st-round pick of the Detroit Lions. And gone is Slade Bolden, who wasn’t drafted but was in camp with the Baltimore Ravens before recently being released. Even Bama, which is known for simply reloading on an annual basis, will be hard-pressed to replace their production, but Burton will try to ease that burden.

The first impressions of Burton wearing his new SEC colors have been first-rate. There was no animosity from his teammates, no awkwardness after he helped rip their hearts out just 7 months ago. Coach Nick Saban has already called Burton the Tide’s most consistent receiver. He just might turn out to be the Tide’s best receiver, too, and he’ll be trying to win his 2nd straight national title with 2 different SEC powers come next January, in his home state no less, with the national title game being held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

While Burton tries to construct a strong rapport with Bryce Young from the ground up in 2022, Ja’Corey Brooks looks to build on what he and Young did last season. Brooks captured the hearts of Tide fans in the most dramatic way possible, catching the game-tying touchdown pass from Young in the Iron Bowl with 24 seconds left, as Bama rallied from a 10-0 4th-quarter hole and eventually outlasted Auburn in the longest Iron Bowl ever.

Brooks showed as a freshman that the biggest moment wasn’t too big for him. He caught 15 balls while playing in all 15 games last season, so he also proved that Bama’s annual grueling gauntlet from early September through early January wasn’t too grueling for him.

One would think, with that big test under his belt and with a full spring and summer getting more familiar with Young, that it would be onward and upward for Brooks as a sophomore this fall. Brooks was also able to bond with his new teammate Burton during spring practice in what likely will comprise the Tide’s dangerous, if slightly unheralded, starting receiver duo. Of course, they might not be so unheralded come December.

Junior Traeshon Holden could very well have something to say about who ends up being Young’s top target in 2022. There have been reports out of fall camp that Holden has developed quite a rhythm with Young while making a slew of spectacular catches. He’s reportedly showing off the same explosion that helped him pile up 21 catches for 239 yards last season. And now he’s not staring up the depth chart at Metchie, Williams and Bolden, so this could very well be a breakout year for Holden.

Meanwhile, when Saban went to the transfer portal to pull in Burton, he didn’t stop there. Saban has also brought in 6-1, 194-pound redshirt junior Tyler Harrell and his blazing speed from Louisville. Harrell averaged an eye-popping 29.1 yards per catch on his 18 receptions last season in the ACC, so he brings that dangerous dynamic that makes defenses respect his ability to go the distance on any given play. The Miami native did just that in 2021 with a team-high 6 touchdown catches.

If Harrell can be that long-distance threat for Bama as he was for Louisville — like the departed Williams was in Tuscaloosa — then Burton might not be the only transfer portal gem that Saban found this offseason to replenish his receivers room. Saban has liked what he has seen so far, saying Harrell has “shown a lot of ability.”

And Harrell loved what he saw when he visited Tuscaloosa for the A-Day Game, saying, “It was an experience I ain’t ever seen before.”

He believes Bama and its dynamic quarterback provide an ideal fit for his skills.

“Just with the quarterback, with Bryce Young, I just feel like with his arm and his capability of throwing the ball, I feel like our chemistry would be fine with the speed I have and the capability I have as well,” Harrell said. “I feel like we could go a long way with it.”

Beyond the aforementioned top four, there is some returning depth at the position with junior Thaiu Jones-Bell, and sophomores Christian Leary and JoJo Earle, although Earle will reportedly miss the first few weeks of the season with a broken foot.

Four-star recruit Kobe Prentice, an in-state product from Calera, has separated himself from the freshman group with a phenomenal fall camp. The 5-10, 171-pound Prentice caught Saban’s eye immediately in the first fall scrimmage with 5 receptions while working with the 2nd-team offense.

Filling out the freshman influx of talent are early enrollee Kendrick Law plus Aaron Anderson, Isaiah Bond and Shazz Preston.

Sure, there are plenty of questions surrounding what Bama’s receiving core will actually look like when the games start, but the transfer portal might end up being the Tide’s saving grace. Then there’s the wonderful reality that a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback will be in charge of making it all work.