The final piece to the 2023 Miami Hurricanes football staff is likely to fall into place in the next couple days after head coach Mario Cristobal decides on his new wide receivers coach.

Here are the top options remaining heading for the wide receivers coach opening.

The top candidate for the opening has to be North Carolina assistant head coach, passing game coordinator, and wide receivers coach Lonnie Galloway. Galloway has an elite resume stemming from spots like Louisville, West Virginia, and Wake Forest.

He recently accepted a promotion at North Carolina this off-season and gets paid a substantial salary of $440,000 per year. If any offensive assistant were to receive an elevated title on this new staff, it would be Galloway.

Galloway already has a history with offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson and could essentially be his second-in-charge, earning him a similar role that he has at North Carolina. Chemistry is not the only reason he deserves that opportunity.

The veteran coach would come to Miami with 26 years of experience, something the other two coaches on this list do not have. He was a critical part of UNC's 11th-ranked passing offense in 2022. His top wideout, Josh Downs, led the ACC in receptions and receiving yards per game which earned him second-team All-American status.

Downs is not the only wideout to have success under Galloway. He's had four 1,000-yard producers in three years at UNC. At Louisville, Jaylen Smith earned first-team All-ACC honors and at West Virginia, Tavon Austin, Kevin White, and Mario Alford had standout careers before moving on to the NFL.

If youth and pride for the University of Miami is something Cristobal is looking for, former Cane Leonard Hankerson may be the best fit. Hankerson is currently the wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers, he has proven he can develop elite talent in his two years in the NFL.

Since arriving in San Francisco, success has been there for his room. Deebo Samuel had a breakout season in 2021, earning first-team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl nod after a 1,770-yard, 13-touchdown season. Despite being banged up and starting just 12 games this year, Samuel registered an 864-yard, five-touchdown season while Brandon Aiyuk had a career-high with 78 receptions, 1,015 yards, and eight touchdowns.

That recent success is the majority of his coaching resume. Hankerson had two college coaching stops before breaking through to the NFL. Hankerson spent two seasons at UMass where he coached future NFL second-round draft pick Andy Isabella, who was named a Biletnikoff Award Finalist and first-team All-American after a 102-catch, 1,698-yard, 14-touchdown season in 2018.

In Hankerson's one season at Stephen F. Austin, freshman starter Xavier Gipson had 934 yards and seven scores. He was a second-team All-Southland selection that season.

Hankerson could also be a huge asset in recruiting. A graduate of national power Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, Hankerson has ties to the South Florida area from his playing days, plus his age (just 34 years old) could have him be the Miami version of what Brian Hartline is to Ohio State.

The last of the three options is a familiar one - former Miami offensive coordinator James Coley. Coley has a familiarity with Cristobal, as he was the FIU offensive coordinator in 2007.

Currently, at Texas A&M as the wide receivers coach, Coley has been on a rollercoaster ride since leaving Miami. He was the offensive coordinator at Georgia and even had a spurt as co-offensive coordinator for the Aggies before being demoted to a position coach.

In his first two seasons at Texas A&M, Coley was the tight ends coach, mainly on staff for his recruiting prowess that has landed him players like Shemar Stewart, Lamarcus Joyner, Brad Kaaya and so much more.

As the tight ends coach, he had Jalen Wydermyer producing at an elite level and was considered a potential early draft pick before a rough NFL combine and pro day.

At Georgia, he helped kick off Kirby Smart's reign with a 13-win season and a College Football Playoff appearance. While coaching quarterbacks, Jake Fromm had one of the best statistical seasons in school history and was the fifth most efficient passer in the country as a sophomore.

Bringing Coley back to Miami would add an ace recruiter to the offensive staff and an overall safe option to coach the wide receivers.

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