The Baltimore Ravens defenseman says the undrafted wide receiver is ready to break out

As the Baltimore Ravens head into mandatory minicamp, one of the places of interest will be the shake-up of the receiving corps.

The Ravens are still relatively weak at wing play – PFF didn’t rank any Ravenns attackers in their league-best 32. There has been some speculation as to whether the Ravens will even add a free winger to the roster ahead of the season.

However, according to Ravens defenseman Patrick Ricard, one of the undrafted players stood out to him in OTAs and could be ready to make an impact.

On the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Ricard called out Dayton Wade, who was undrafted at Ole Miss.

“Being the unselected guest, I’ll show him some love,” Ricard said. “We have a receiver, his name is Wade and his number is 18. I see flashes of this guy every day. He looks really great when he runs his routes, he catches all the balls, he has strong hands. he doesn’t talk much, he just keeps his head down and keeps acting.

“I think he will make some noise in pre-season. I just remembered his name is Dayton Wade. I think he’s a guy to keep an eye on.”

Ryan Mink of the Ravens’ team website also noted that Wade had a strong showing in OTAs, making several impressive catches, including one-handed catches while playing with rookie quarterback Devin Leary.

Wade A 6-foot-10 receiver who can play both outside and infield, Wade transferred to Ole Miss in 2023 after three quiet, injury-riddled years with Western Kentucky. Wade made an immediate impact at Ole Miss, catching 55 passes for 830 yards and four touchdowns.

Wade’s best game of his college career came against Georgia when he fought through contact to make a one-handed catch, falling backwards along the sideline.

Weighing just 176 pounds, Wade may be a bit undersized to be a starter in the NFL, especially on the outside.

However, his size doesn’t stop him from making an impact in the NFL. One comparison could be Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle. Although Waddle was drafted in the first round and obviously had more pedigree than Wade, Waddle’s NFL draft profile listed him as 5 feet 9 1/2 inches and 180 pounds. Waddle did not participate in the combine, but reportedly ran an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.37 seconds Wade ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds at the Ole Miss meet.

The Ravens will be counting on upgrades from Zay Flowers, recently extended Rashod Bateman and possibly fourth-round rookie Devontez Walker to solidify their receiving group. However, the NFL has shown us that good wide receivers can come from all over the draft (and beyond), so Wade could make some noise as we approach training camp.

Watch Ricardo’s response below: