As everyone knows, former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson has the arm strength to make any throw. However, some are concerned about Wilson’s injury history, especially his shoulder surgery on his throwing arm in 2018. Looking back at his college days, I didn’t see anything that required any concern. I explain why below.
Injury History
- Torn labrum in right shoulder (throwing arm) in 2018. Wilson missed four games and required surgery after the season.
- Broken thumb in right hand. Wilson missed four games again.
2019 Injury
Starting with the thumb fracture in 2019, there isn’t too much to say. The injury was a fluke. Wilson broke his thumb late in the game against Toledo while throwing an interception. There wasn’t a clear indication of injury on the throw, but I speculate it happened when he tried to run down the DB.
2018 Injury
Oh yeah and then there are plays like this:
Looking Ahead
It’s plays like this one where Wilson extends the play by rolling out of the pocket and throwing on the run. Throwing on the run and fading away, if a defender hits and drives Wilson to the ground, that’s a risk for FOOSH.
What The Research Shows
Summary
Zach Wilson’s thumb injury was a fluke play. It likely happened when he was trying to tackle a defender after an interception.
Wilson’s previous right shoulder injury combined with his playing style probably leave him at a higher risk of these re-injury compared to someone with the same injury history.
With all of that in mind, the risk isn’t enough to avoid him at any rookie drafts. My findings while reviewing his profile did not yield anything I would classify as a red flag.
