Connect with us

Buffalo Bills

2022 Draft Injury Files: Andrew Booth Jr.

Published

1 year ago

on

With Tre’ White potentially missing the first few weeks of the season to recover from his ACL surgery, cornerback is a probable first round selection for the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft. There is one CB that brings immense intrigue, and this is Andrew Booth Jr.

Booth Jr. has the film to land him in the top half of the first round, but he has been dealing with injuries in the lead up to the NFL Draft. With no athletic measurables, his draft stock may slide right into the Bills’ lap.

As I mentioned in a previous article, there was some concern that Booth Jr. was nursing his thigh injury to limit exposure to a slow 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. Then he missed Clemson’s Pro Day on March 17th, which is reasonable, because thighs are important. Unfortunately, now he has just undergone sports hernia surgery. Are they connected? Should there be concern?

What is a Sports Hernia?

Adam Schefter on Twitter: “Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr., a projected first-round pick, recently underwent sports hernia surgery with Dr. Williams Meyers in Philadelphia but still is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, per league sources. / Twitter”

Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr., a projected first-round pick, recently underwent sports hernia surgery with Dr. Williams Meyers in Philadelphia but still is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, per league sources.

Sports hernia is not directly related to the thighs. The ‘woke’ pelvic crowd could make a case that Booth Jr. had pelvic maladies that led to two separate soft tissue injuries in the region. However, in my opinion, I think it was the sports hernia all along. He likely tried conservative treatment, while having it confirmed via imaging and consultations. In a nutshell, a sports hernia is a tear in the region where the groin and abdominals meet at the pelvis.

orthobullets.com

As fans, it might be scary to hear about surgery near one’s genitals. Fear not, the surgical results are tremendous. There is a high rate of return to sport, with no noteworthy difference in performance. However, career length and games per season were found to be meaningfully less (1). This should scare off teams early in the draft, weary that their investment will lack longevity. With the Bills picking at the end of the first round, a medical history such as his, should leave the team comfortable with the selection. A player should be able to return to sport in 8-12 weeks after operation, making Andrew Booth Jr. available around late May/early June. 

Sports hernia has a low-key residence in Bills history. You may remember, Tyrod Taylor had this same operation after the 2016 season. He bounced back healthy, and we ended the 17-year drought the ensuing season.

Citations

  1. Jack, Robert A et al. “Performance and Return to Sport After Sports Hernia Surgery in NFL Players.” Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine vol. 5, 4 2325967117699590. 4 Apr. 2017, doi: 10.1177/2325967117699590
Related Topics: