Mike Leach's Air Raid offense can't go without a reliable wide receiver room, and the Bulldogs bring back a group of familiar faces and some young guys looking to take the next step.

In the Air Raid offense, Mississippi State uses four different wide receiver positions: X (outside left), H (inside left), Y (inside right), and Z (outside right). Today we'll be taking a look at the X and Z receivers.

Click here to read our previous position group previews: Offensive Line | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Running Backs

California transfer Makai Polk set Mississippi State records in his lone season in Starkville. The El Cerrito, CA, native was Will Rogers' go-to guy at the Z spot and accumulated 105 receptions for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns. Polk was a relative unknown going into 2021, having only accounted for 478 yards during his two seasons in Berkeley, but he blossomed at Mississippi State and earned a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens. So it begs the question, who could be next?

This season the Z spot could reach that 1,000-yard mark again, but it will likely be by the committee as the Bulldogs have three guys looking to get snaps at that spot.

Redshirt Senior Caleb Ducking served as Polk's backup for most of last season and in his limited action, hauled in nine passes for 83 yards. The Holmes Community College product is all of 6-foot-5 and showed good rapport with Will Rogers as he was a dominant threat in the red zone. There is no doubting the skillset Ducking possesses, and if he puts it together, he could be one of the Bulldogs leading receivers.

Antonio Harmon was a big in-state get out of Kosciusko for Mississippi State's 2021 class, and after redshirting his freshman year in Starkville, the former 4-star should be ready to contribute. Harmon is another big body at 6'3", 210-pounds, and showcased his physicality during spring practice as he split first-team reps with Caleb Ducking.

Northwestern receiver Jordan Mosley transferred to Mississippi State after a redshirt year on Chicago's north shore. The Mobile, AL, native had numerous SEC programs chasing him during the 2021 recruiting cycle, and the Bulldogs finally got him after extending an offer to him in high school. The 6'0" 195-pound pass catcher possesses legitimate track speed but will likely be seen as more of a depth piece as he continues to get accumulated in the air raid system.

Most of last season saw Malik Heath and Tulu Griffin split reps at the X spot, but as the year went on, freshman Rara Thomas began to emerge, taking playing time away from Heath. In 2022, Heath will be suiting up for Ole Miss while the Bulldogs return both Griffin and Thomas and welcome former Georgia receiver Justin Robinson.

Rara Thomas seems to be the trendy pick for a breakout by Bulldog fans this year, and for good measure. The Euphaula, AL, native had his coming out party against Vanderbilt as he caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. The freshman added three touchdowns in his next two games against Arkansas and Kentucky. After battling some injuries late in the year and missing the Egg Bowl, Thomas found the endzone again in the Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech. The 6'2" receiver is poised for a standout sophomore season after getting accumulated to the Air Raid offense and the SEC and building more chemistry with Will Rogers.

The first thing you think of when you hear the name Tulu Griffin is speed. The rising junior got off to a hot start to last season as he took back the opening kickoff for a touchdown in a win over NC State. At 5'10", 180 pounds, the Philadelphia, MS product has the shiftiness to pick up big yards after the catch on tunnel screens and other short passes, and it'll come down to how much Leach wants to make him a focal point to see how big of a year Griffin can have.

In his two seasons at Georgia, Justin Robinson had a rough time battling injuries. Robinson was a top 200 recruit in the 2020 class but has totaled only two catches for 18 yards and one touchdown in his UGA career. If the redshirt sophomore can stay healthy, he could be a surprise candidate to make a big impact for the Bulldogs, as his 6'4" 220-pound frame could be a matchup nightmare against opposing cornerbacks.