'Confidence!' Former Ole Miss WR Dayton Wade Draws Praise in Ravens Training Camp

Former Ole Miss Rebels wide receiver Dayton Wade may not have been drafted, but he is attracting attention in Baltimore Ravens training camp.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Dayton Wade (19) catches a pass behind Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Cam Miller (5) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Ole Miss Rebels return a lot of production at wide receiver from a season ago, but one key piece who will not rejoin them on the football field in 2024 is Dayton Wade.

Wade spent two years with the Rebels after transferring in from Western Kentucky, and he had a very productive run in 2023, posting over 800 receiving yards and four touchdowns, both of which were second on the team behind fellow wideout Tre Harris. Wade, who measures in at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, was not selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he did sign with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.

It appears that connection is paying off as the young talent is already turning heads at training camp.

"[Wade has] quickness, confidence, and those are not really coachable," Ravens wide receiver coach Greg Lewis said over the weekend. "He's a confident kid. Does a great job going out there and making plays, utilizing his speed. He has quickness where he understands how to get open. Quarterbacks love guys who can get open because it makes it easy for them to throw them the ball."

It also sounds like the Ravens have tinkered with Wade's skillset at different spots on the field, and he has made an impact, when given those chances.

"Utilizing him at different positions, he's picked up and grasped the playbook and the offense," Lewis said, "and he just continues to want to work. That's what I love about him. Being an undrafted guy, I had that mentality, and you see that in him."

It's not always easy to create a fruitful career in the NFL after going undrafted, but it has been done before. Names like former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo went undrafted, and he went on to have a 14-year run in the league.

Anything is possible. If Wade keeps this work ethic and a team can find a role for him, he could be the next great success story in professional football, and it all starts in training camp.