When Dontre Wilson leaves Ohio Stadium, he goes home and prays with his family. A self-proclaimed faithful person, the Ohio State senior said he always wants to thank the man upstairs for being physically able to play again.
After seeing his first truly extensive action in nearly two years against Bowling Green on Saturday in which he recorded 101 all-purpose yards and caught two touchdown passes, those prayers meant a little more.
"Once I got back home, we got together and prayed, just thanked God for letting me get back out there and play and play the way I play," Wilson said Wednesday after practice. "Just being thankful."
When Wilson turned on the tape and watched his three receptions for 37 yards, five carries for 36 yards, a 17-yard kickoff return and a pair of punt returns that totaled 11 yards, he saw the player he knows he can be. He also saw the player Ohio State fans expected him to be when he flipped his commitment from Oregon to the Buckeyes as part of the 2013 class, the speedy versatile talent many compared to Percy Harvin.
"Not just that game, but the whole season I feel like I have something to prove. I'm always going into every game with a chip on my shoulder," Wilson said. "I feel like I left a lot out on the field these past couple of years so all these games are opportunities to make that up."
“It's just motivation, man. For me to work hard. They fulfilled their goals, I'm trying to do the same," Wilson said. "Just another step that I had to get over. I'm in it to win it by myself now, so just keep grinding.”– Dontre Wilson on Ohio State's 2016 NFL Draft class
Urban Meyer is the reason Wilson elected to come to Ohio State all the way from DeSoto, Texas, especially after Chip Kelly left Oregon to coach the Philadelphia Eagles. He knew the history Meyer has of sending players to the NFL and felt like it would be foolish if he didn't try to do the same.
Now with a 2-year-old son, D'Neko, back home and his family watching intently after a broken foot marred the last 15+ months, Wilson finally feels like he is performing at H-back alongside Curtis Samuel the way Meyer wanted him to three years ago. Wilson weighs 198 pounds, much more than the 180 mark he entered the program upon his arrival in Columbus.
"If you go back and look at what Percy Harvin was for Coach Meyer, that's what me and Curtis did Saturday," Wilson said. "That's what he's been looking for so we're going to try and give him that the entire year."
Wilson and Samuel took snaps in the Wildcat formation with J.T. Barrett lined up at receiver, yet another way to get the ball in their hands and something else defenses must prepare for. They represented two of the more than 10 players that played at the skill positions against Bowling Green, but only they could play the hybrid role well.
"They both do the same thing, could run between tackles, they get the ball outside on the edge of run plays and also could run routes," Barrett said Monday. "So they both are very dynamic, being playmakers for us."
For Wilson, it is a long time coming. Friends like Ezekiel Elliott, Eli Apple, Joey Bosa, Jalin Marshall and Darron Lee all became draft picks this past spring. All were members of the 2013 recruiting class that included both Barrett and Wilson, only pundits expected Wilson to be the guy leaving early after shredding defenses for three seasons under Meyer.
Wilson has a different plan now due to his injury but also had to sit and watch his friends celebrate after getting drafted.
"It's just motivation, man. For me to work hard. They fulfilled their goals, I'm trying to do the same," Wilson said. "Just another step that I had to get over. I'm in it to win it by myself now, so just keep grinding."
How much time and effort Wilson put in to get to this point is obvious to not only himself but his teammates and coaches.
"This year is his senior year, so I know it means a lot to him," Barrett said. "He put in a lot of work in the offseason, him and me both have. I think he's at a good place right now."
Wilson said he feels 100 percent but continues to pray each day to stay that way so he can eventually provide for his son by playing the game of football. There is a minimum of 11 games left for him to prove to NFL brass he can have a role at the next level, even though he has to do with his son nearly 1,000 miles away.
"Just something I've gotta live with," Wilson said. "I tell him all the time, even though he's 2, I tell him all the time Daddy's at work. Give me a couple more months and then we'll be together forever."
