It's not often we can definitively say the highest-paid coach at a given position is also that position's best coach, but we can with the wide receiver group.
That's not to say Brian Hartline is the only good receivers coach. Of course not.
But with three top-20 picks in the last two drafts, the best receiver in the country (Marvin Harrison, Jr.) and nine other top-100 recruits in his meeting room, Hartline is performing best-in-class on the trail and in the draft. He performed so well as a wide receivers coach that Ryan Day promoted him to offensive coordinator ahead of this season. A good run there would take him off this list, as someone would hire him as a head coach before too long.
But if his recent promotion doesn't stick, Hartline will find work as a wide receivers coach for as long as he wants it.
All that said, Hartline is far from the only quality wide receivers coach in college football. By our count, at least 17 such coaches will earn at least half a million dollars in 2023.
1. Brian Hartline*, Ohio State -- $1.6 million
2. Kasey Dunn*, Oklahoma State -- $900,000
2. Cortez Hankton, LSU -- $900,000
4. Holmon Wiggins, Alabama -- $875,000
5. JaMarcus Shephard, Washington -- $800,000
6. Bryan McClendon, Georgia -- $705,000
7. Dameyune Craig, Texas A&M -- $675,000
8. Junior Adams, Oregon -- $650,000
9. Derrick Nix, Ole Miss -- $625,000
10. Cory Patterson, Purdue -- $600,000
10. Matt Simon, Minnesota -- $600,000
12. George McDonald, Illinois -- $578,000
13. Mike Brown, Wisconsin -- $550,000
13. Justin Johnson, Texas Tech -- $550,000
13. Emmett Jones, Oklahoma -- $550,000
16. Dave Brock, Rutgers -- $500,000
16. Ron Dugans, Florida State -- $500,000
16. Billy Gonzales, Florida -- $500,000
19. Justin Stepp, South Carolina -- $475,000
20. Kelton Copeland, Iowa -- $460,000
21. Joker Phillips, NC State -- $454,000
22. Tyler Grisham, Clemson -- $450,000
23. Lonnie Galloway, North Carolina -- $440,000
24. Grant Heard, UCF -- $425,000
24. Fontel Mines, Virginia Tech -- $425,000
26. Jacob Peeler, Missouri -- $400,000
27. Kefense Hynson, Oregon State -- $390,000
28. Courtney Hawkins, Michigan State -- $387,000
29. Ron Bellamy, Michigan -- $375,000
29. Gunter Brewer, Maryland -- $375,000
31. Scott Woodward, Kentucky -- $350,000
32. Kenny Guiton, Arkansas -- $340,000
32. Terrence Samuel, Kansas -- $340,000
34. Matthew Middleton, Kansas State -- $325,000
35. Brett Bartolone, Colorado -- $315,000
36. Jerry Neuheisel, UCLA -- $310,000
* - Offensive coordinator
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Missing: Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State; Josh Crawford, Georgia Tech; Marcus Davis, Auburn; Nick Edwards, Washington State; Brad Glenn, Cincinnati; Chris Jackson, Texas; Garrick McGee, Louisville; Adam Mims, Virginia; Noah Pauley, Iowa State; Ra'Shaad Samples, Arizona State; Anthony Tucker, Indiana; Alvis Whitted, Utah