Miami football will have multiple Power 5 transfer WR options

The Miami football team sorely lacked an offensive playmaker during the 2022 season. Miami all-time leading receiver Mike Harley graduating and single-season receiving leader Charleston Rambo leaving for the NFL were far bigger losses to the Hurricanes’ offense than most people projected.

New offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was not able to gain any consistency from the Miami football team to create the big plays the Hurricanes had under his predecessor Rhett Lashlee. Expect wide receiver to be one of the positions Miami targets in the transfer portal during the 2023 offseason.

Clemson transfer Frank Ladson and junior college addition Colbie Young were unable to consistently produce for Miami in 2022. Young led Miami WRs with 32 receptions and 376 yards while topping the entire Hurricanes’ team with five touchdown catches. Tight end Will Mallory led Miami in receptions and receiving yards.

Several wide receivers have been mentioned nationally when examining players who have entered the transfer portal at the position. The transfer WR options vary in the level of play and production for potential additions to the Miami football roster. Miami needs a WR that can stretch the field.

Miami football potential Power Five transfer WRs

Dominic Lovett from Missouri, Nate McCollum of Georgia Tech, Theo Wease from Oklahoma and Dont’e Thornton from Oregon are all transfer WRs to watch in the portal. Miami head coach Mario Cristobal is familiar with McCollum from playing against him this year and for signing Thornton with Oregon.

Lovett announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Monday night via social media . Lovett led Missouri with 56 receptions and 846 receiving yards and was second on the Tigers with three touchdown catches. Lovett was the 52nd-ranked WR in the class of 2021 per 247 Sports.

McCollum was the best WR for Georgia Tech in 2022 leading the Yellow Jackets with 60 receptions, 655 receiving yards and three TDs. McCollum led Georgia Tech with eight receptions for 101 yards and one TD versus Miami. The reliance on McCollum by Georgia Tech partially led to Kam Kinchens’ three INTs versus the Yellow Jackets.

Duck Territory, the 247 Sports site projects Thornton to enter the transfer portal next week. Thornton has 26 receptions for 541 yards and three TDs in two seasons for Oregon. This year Thornton had 17 receptions for 366 yards and three TD. Thornton was the 57th-ranked player and seventh WR in the class of 2021.

Thornton would provide Miami with excellent size at 6’5 and had excellent speed. Originally from Baltimore, Thornton might want to play closer to home. Thornton thrived late in the season for Oregon with nine receptions for 237 yards and a TD. Against Utah this season Thornton had four receptions for 151 yards.

Wease was a five-star signee with Oklahoma in the class of 2019. Wease was the 21st-ranked player, third WR and fourth-ranked player in Texas in 2019. Rambo set the Miami single-season records for receptions and receiving yards in 2021 after transferring from Oklahoma. Wease has struggled since a breakout 2020 season.

The breakout season by Wease in 2020 contributed to Rambo entering the transfer portal. Wease had 37 receptions for 530 yards and four TDs Rambo could talk to Wease about his experience transferring from Oklahoma to Miami. Wease finished 2022 with 19 receptions for 378 yards and four TDs in 2022.

Miami could potentially lose a WR or two to the transfer portal. The Hurricanes do not have a senior WR on its roster, but third-year sophomore Key’Shawn Smith who is from San Diego is expected to enter the transfer portal. This will be a busy and critical off-season for Cristobal and his staff.