QB Wonderlic scores

[RaiderInNY]

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[JUSTautumnWINd]

But conversely, a high wonderlic can also indicate that a player is likely to think too much on the field and winds up with paralysis by analysis. A wonderlic score can mean both good and bad, thus it must be thrown out as an indicator of football talent/ability to play the game.

I have no idea what a wonderlic means for football. But, from what I've read, it seems that a high wonderlic score is more likely to correspond to a high IQ than a low wonderlic score is to a low IQ. Now, IQ is meaningful for a lot of things, but I personally have never felt that IQ was the final word on intelligence or aptitude. It's just one of many metrics that we can use to evaluate an individual's likeliness to succeed in various vocations.

Taken by itself, obviously it is meaningless for evaluating a football prospect. Moreover, it is really only useful at all for gauging the value of a prospect, not a professional with an existing body of work. Brett Favre's wonderlic score is completely irrelevant because we no longer need to predict his aptitude.

To a lesser degree, the same is true for Campbell. Citing his wonderlic score at this point is very, very peculiar. The OP references the last seven Superbowl winners, but why stop there? Why such a small sample? QBs tend to have much higher wonderlic scores than other position players, so it's not surprising that a small sample of elite QBs have high wonderlic scores, but obviously it's idiotic to suggest Favre and McNabb are incapable of leading teams to SB wins because their wonderlic scores are not high enough. Likewise, Payton Manning is not an outlier for winning a SB with a sub-30 wonderlic.

So, basically, I don't understand this thread. Are elite QBs smart? Typically, yes! They must be able to read differences, understand coverages, make quick assessments, and have a grasp of the playbook. But is Jason Campbell somehow less likely to win a super bowl than, say, Alex Smith because he has a lower wonderlic score? Of course not. Like I said, body of work is the best way to evaluate a QB's relative effectiveness, not measurables.

[JUSTautumnWINd]

There's always been some question about JCam's wonderlic scores. CBSsports and USAToday list his combine score as 28.

This site list his scores as 14, 27 and 28.

Rumors and Rants Blog Archive Bring On The Annual Wonderlic Fun

I know the 14 was when he took the test as a junior at Auburn. Several thoughts as to why it was so low the first time. I saw one poster on an Auburn board say that Jason took too long answering the questions. He overthinks on the field at times. Someone else speculated that he didn't take the test seriously since he wasn't expected to be drafted very high until his senior year. The 14 brought on a lot of negative post from the non JC fans on the Redskins board.

I've read that the score of 27 was when the test was taken at the Senior Bowl and the 28 was at the combine. The score of 28 prompted one reporter to accuse JC of cheating because he doubled his junior year score. No sure how that would be possible in a place where everyone recognized you. Cadillac W. said that Auburn used tutors after he, RB and JC scored low as juniors and all three of them raised their scores at the combine.

The higher score is more indicative. Given all the scores put together, it is probably fair to conclude that Jason Campbell's true score is slightly higher than the league average for QBs, and it is probably a stretch to discern anything meaningful from a score in that range. Luckily, he has already been a starting NFL QB for four seasons, so we don't need to project his future effectiveness with measurables alone.

[darkvenom1972]

1. I find it interesting that the "experts" on these boards know more than the scouts and GM's that insist on this test, in saying that the test is worthless.

2. These tests are just one of dozens of factors that go into the success of a QB. No GM would base drafting a QB solely on a wonderlick test, but to suggest that it plays no part is foolish since they give the test.

3. The list given by the OP was of NFL starting QB's. Why two Raiders?

[Hungary87]

Jamarcus had a higher score than Gradkowski (24 - 19), yet couldn't learn the playbook in three years, while Grads picked it up enough in a few weeks that they could expand the game plan when he started at QB. So that has to make you wonder (no pun intended) whether there's any correlation with on-field intelligence.

[NoThanksSir]

Some people are football players and some are not....we really need a test to try to figure this out?


I'd say Favre's score is evident that he isn't a deep thinking guy, but he has the instincts of a football player. He doesn't need to think about what he will do just because it comes to him. Maybe that is why he has thrown so many interceptions...maybe thats why he is one of the more prolific and more exciting quarterbacks of our time...

Whatever, I don't read too much into the scores myself. It's just another number to look at. Peyton's score didn't scare away the Colts, did it?

[UglyDuck]

Jamarcus had a higher score than Gradkowski (24 - 19), yet couldn't learn the playbook in three years, while Grads picked it up enough in a few weeks that they could expand the game plan when he started at QB. So that has to make you wonder (no pun intended) whether there's any correlation with on-field intelligence.

I hear you... I have very little understanding of the subject & don't really have a position on it. I just found it interesting that the two positions that average the highest Wonderlic scores are QB & OL. I checked up on the Bruce Campbell thing & discovered that teams were turned off by fears that he is too slow to conceptualize. Then I discovered that our QBs scored below average as well. I just figured that posters who knew more about it would school me on the subject & I got my wish (thanks, all).

P.S. I don't include players slopped up on purple drank in my evaluations. That's an element that would throw any psych study out of whack.

[MikeOxlong]

The wonderlic test is about as meaningful as how far a QB can throw a ball from his knees(we all saw how that turned out), pretty meaningless test IMO. It can't measure heart, dedication, work ethic, and desire to win. Those are what really matter.

[blackholenation]

I've taken that test before and scored in the high 30s, put me out on that field and I'll look worse than a horse's a**!

[Yogi]

The wonderlic test is about as meaningful as how far a QB can throw a ball from his knees(we all saw how that turned out), pretty meaningless test IMO. It can't measure heart, dedication, work ethic, and desire to win. Those are what really matter.

This x100000

[Towner13]

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[BoJack247]

sample wonderlic test:
Wonderlic Sample Test

the Wonderlic averages by position of NFL players:

Offensive tackle – 26
Center – 25
Quarterback – 24 (Most teams want at least 21 for a quarterback.)
Guard – 23
Tight end – 22
Safety – 19
Linebacker – 19
Cornerback – 18
Wide receiver – 17
Fullback – 17
Halfback – 16