Thursday, March 24, 2022
After wrist surgery, Sterling preparing for pro day, draft Dean Ruhl Sports Editor Life looks a little different these days for Tre Sterling. Since declaring for the NFL draft, he has returned to his home state of Texas, leaving the orange and black OSU jerseys behind. In late January, Sterling’s son, Dru, was born. His sleep schedule has been turned upside down, a side effect of becoming a father. He still picks up a pen every night, but not for homework. Instead, he’s autographing memorabilia and trading cards. His mornings and afternoons are spent at Michael Johnson Performance, a sports complex in McKinney, Texas. He performs numerous skill exercises and drills to improve his arsenal of football capabilities. “(I’m) just trying to fit everything into a day,” Sterling said. The hectic schedule isn’t without reason. In a month, Sterling hopes to be drafted by an NFL team. After not receiving an invitation to compete in the Senior Bowl or NFL Combine, Sterling has spent the past three months in Texas preparing for OSU’s Pro Day this Thursday. His draft stock has been shaky, with Sterling projected anywhere from a second day selection to an undrafted free agent signee. The uncertainty largely comes from the right wrist surgery he underwent, sidelining him for the majority of OSU’s season. Playing through pain Sterling couldn’t catch the ball. His right wrist was throbbing. He tried again but no luck. His wrist was in too much pain. Two weeks into the Cowboys’ 2021 season, Sterling wanted another evaluation. Initially, he’d been diagnosed with a sprain but after more than a year, things weren’t getting better. Months ago, during winter workouts, Sterling plated 345 pounds on a barbell for a hang-clean lift – his favorite. The lift requires pulling the barbell from the ground, swinging it up to the shoulders and holding it above the head. Sterling felt the pop. The athletic trainers assessed the damage and diagnosed a sprain. Simple enough, he could still play. He cruised through fall camp and went on to start 10 of the Cowboys’ 11 games In 2020. He led the secondary in tackles (74) and the team in tackles for loss (12). He blossomed, becoming the anchor of the unit. But the pain lingered. Sterling worked through the 2021 offseason, managing it without another evaluation. Until he couldn’t grab the ball. He couldn’t do pushups. On the second evaluation, Sterling opted for an MRI, this time discovering the ligaments in his wrist were torn. He was told the injury couldn’t get worse, but the pain sure could. Sterling contemplated the decision, eventually selecting to get surgery. The initial recovery period was slated at six months, meaning he would miss the remainder of his senior season. “It was kind of hard,” Sterling said. “Since I started football as a little boy, I’ve missed maybe a total of five games in my 23-year career. So, missing almost a full season and hearing that was heartbreaking.” He would meet with his doctor every two weeks. Sterling noticed his right arm was getting
After a wrist surgery Tre Sterling is looking to up his draft stock at Thursday’s pro day.
File Photo
significantly smaller, and after continuing to heal does that mean I can play football again?’ And he and his bulky cast being downgraded to a smaller said, ‘Yeah, as long as you’re in the cast.’” one, Sterling asked his doctor if he could lift weights again. “He said, ‘You can do anything, as long as you’re in the cast,’” Sterling said. “Me being the competitor and football junkie I am, I asked him, ‘So See Sterling on page 4