Ole Miss will have Dayton Wade for the Peach Bowl but then he is 'outta here' for the NFL
On Sunday the Ole Miss football team found out its bowl game destination as it earned a bid to the Peach Bowl and a return to the New Year’s Six bowls. Monday was the start of the transfer portal and bowl teams that have rosters full of players with decisions to make about their futures.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said on Sunday that he did “not anticipate” any opt-outs as there were not a lot of high grades among NFL Draft-potential players on the Rebels roster.
One player that does have a decision to make announced that decision on Monday with Dayton Wade also assuring his intentions to finish out the 2023 season.
While making an appearance on SEC This Morning on the SEC Network Wade said he intends to forgo his final year of eligibility at Ole Miss and throw his name into the ring for the NFL Draft.
“I’m outta here. I’m definitely going to have to go pursue my dreams and go chase this NFL dream,” Wade said when asked his plans for next season.
Wade is one of the key players within the Ole Miss offense that was a potential wild card of if he would stay or go try his luck in the NFL. The other being Tre Harris, though he has not divulged any clues or hints towards his future.
Coming in as a walk-on transfer from Western Kentucky Wade became one of the top receivers for Ole Miss the last two seasons.
This year Wade was one of three Rebels to finish with at least 741 receiving yards in the regular season. he was second on the team in catches with 52 but finished behind Harris with 769 yards and four touchdowns.
Harris has a team-high 851 yards and eight touchdowns on 47 catches. Jordan Watkins is third with 741 yards and three touchdown catches.
In his two year’s with Ole Miss Wade has 1,078 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Wade will get one last chance to add to those stats and touch up his highlight reel for NFL scouts when No. 11 Ole Miss takes on No. 10 Penn State in the Peach Bowl on December 30. For Wade it is a second time this season to play in his home state of Georgia in front of family and friends.
“For me it was like, ‘Hey, we’re back in Atlanta. That’s my hometown,” Wade said. “I’m ready to go give them a little show.”
There has not been a lot of buzz surrounding Wade’s NFL Draft stock but now that he has announced his intentions to go that should change with scouts knowing to focus on him more moving forward.
