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Dayton Wade made a "gamble" choosing Ole Miss after a life-changing phone call

11by:Jake Thompson•08/22/22•

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Ole Miss receiver Dayton Wade (photo by Bruce Newman)

Dayton Wade had other suitors when he entered the transfer portal but a phone call with a former teammate “changed” his life and resulted in picking Ole Miss.

The former Western Kentucky receiver is fighting to make an impact in of the most crowded rooms at Ole Miss. Wade is also doing it as a walk-on.

How Wade got from Bowling Green, Ky. to Oxford is a path that involved speaking with former Ole Miss receiver Jachour Pearson. The two were former teammates at WKU before Pearson made the move to Oxford ahead of last season.

Coming as a preferred walk-on means there was not the golden ticket of a scholarship being offered with Wade’s recruitment with Ole Miss. A chat with Pearson is what put the feeling in Wade that this would be his best move.

“It definitely was a gamble,” said Wade, who is an exclusive NIL partner with the Ole Miss Spirit. “When I entered the portal I was getting looks. I had a few offers and whatnot. (Pearson), he called me. This was around the time they were prepping for the Sugar Bowl. He was like, ‘Look, whatever you got going on, forget about it. Come to Ole Miss as a walk-on. What you can bring to the table and how you play, Lane Kiffin would love it.’

“Jachour Pearson, he had a large influence in that. Literally last night (I told Pearson), ‘Thank you so much. You’ve changed my life.’ Because he really did.”

Related: Where is the Ole Miss quarterback race after two fall scrimmages?

After nearly a full fall camp it appears Kiffin is indeed a big fan of Wade and what he can offer to the Ole Miss receiving corps.

Though finding a spot for Wade on a depth chart that puts him behind Jonathan Mingo, Malik Heath, Jordan Watkins, Dannis Jackson, Jalen Knox and others will be tough.

Kiffin sees a lot of similarities in Pearson from his play last season to what he has seen out of the Hilltopper transfer.

“Much like Pearson last year, like kind of a surprise,” Kiffin said. “A walk-on kid that has come here and done really well and earned the right to play. Those are always added bonuses because they’re not kids you’re counting on. All of a sudden they create depth, which is great.”

Wade is taking a very positive outlook on the situation and does not see the depth chart as something written in stone.

He views it as something fluid and proof of the depth that room has.

“As you know our room is deep. We got a lot of transfers and a lot of people that’s been here,” Wade said. “As far as us competing and whatnot, we’re more so (a) collective. (Wide receiver coach Derrick Nix) puts a lot of emphasis on how great we’ll be if we stick together versus being apart.

“So we don’t worry about who’s going to start this week. Who’s going to get the most reps. We’re more so worried with, ‘Hey, make sure you’re doing your assignment right.’ That’s what we’re looking for.”

Watch Wade’s full interview after Monday’s practice below.

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