The combine starts in exactly ten days, on Feb. 22. Right off the bat, each one of the 328 draft-eligible prospects invited to this year's combine will be subjected to the toughest test they'll face at the combine: the Wonderlic Test, or what the NFL euphemistically likes to call the 'psych test'.
The Wonderlic test is a fifty question, twelve minute test designed to measure a person's ability to learn and solve problems. It uses open response and multiple choice questions which increase in difficulty as the test progresses. The test is best known though its use in the NFL, but it is broadly used by employers across many industries.
The test is explained in detail here and you can do a 20-question sample test here. Better yet, you can try your hand at a timed test that gives you three minutes and 36 seconds to answer 15 questions. It's not quite the same thing as the NFL prospects will face, but it'll give you a good idea of what the test is about. Watch yourself break out in a cold sweat when the clock ticks down to one minute and you still have more than half the questions to go. After the break, find out what the Wonderlic results mean.
The Wonderlic score is calculated as the number of correct answers given to the 50 questions within the allotted time frame. The highest score is therefore obviously a 50, while a score of 20 is considered an average score. The Wonderlic score is sometimes used to approximate an intelligence quotient, or IQ, by multiplying the Wonderlic score by two and then adding 60:
IQ = (Wonderlic Score * 2) + 60
The average score for an NFL player (regardless of position) is reportedly 20. Very broadly, a score over 30 suggests a superior intelligence, 20 is about average (and is roughly equivalent to an IQ of 100). 15 is the equivalent of an unskilled worker, while anything below 10 is an indication of a literacy problem or learning disability.
In Paul Zimmerman's book titled, "The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football" he listed the average Wonderlic scores by position. The table below summarizes those values and compares them to average scores from various professions.
| Football Position | Test Score | Regular Profession |
| 31 | Chemist | |
| 29 | Programmer | |
| Offensive Tackle | 26 | Journalist |
| Center | 25 | |
| Quarterback | 24 | Salesman |
| Guard | 23 | |
| Tight End | 22 | Bank Teller |
| Safety | 19 | |
| Linebacker | 19 | |
| Cornerback | 18 | |
| Wide Receiver | 17 | Security Guard |
| Fullback | 17 | |
| Running Back | 16 | |
| 14 | Warehouse worker |
As much fun as it can be to mock players with low scores and marvel at (or perhaps mock as well) players with high scores, it is important to note that there is no conclusive evidence showing that a high Wonderlic score positively correlates with success on the football field. The Wonderlic is just one aspect of the overall evaluation process. What NFL teams are ultimately looking for is football intelligence - how quickly a player can read, react and make plays on the field. But the fastest player will be of little use to his team if he can't learn the playbook.
What the Wonderlic can do is match teaching and training methods to a player's mental ability. A player with a lower Wonderlic score may need to learn the playbook differently than a player with a higher score. A player with a higher score may be better at making quick decisions during contingencies - but he may be just as likely to overthink those situations and be at a disadvantage to a lower-scoring but more instinctive player.
Like with any metric, it's easy to discount the Wonderlic by derisively pointing out that players like Dan Marino (16 Wonderlic score) had a great career despite a low score or that a player like Ryan Fitzpatrick (48 Wonderlic score) hasn't amounted to much in the NFL so far. But if you're a team that values a player’s ability to think and process information quickly, you're watching these results carefully. If the NFL truly thought the test is meaningless, they would have stopped funding and administering it a long time ago.
Playbooks get more complicated every year. Just about any GM or scout will tell you that QBs have to be smarter than they were 10 years ago, let alone 20. And the increasing complexity of NFL offenses and defenses also means more pressure on all the other players and their ability to learn and adapt quicker. And the prospects know this as well. When they enroll in Combine-preparation facilities like the IMG Institute in Bradenton, they're not just working on their 40 times and bench press abilities, they take Mental Conditioning courses to prepare them for the Wonderlic at the Combine.
It's long been popular among fans and pundits to discount the Wonderlic scores. And yes, it is not directly correlated to onfield success. But it can be invaluable in helping a team prepare a player to succeed on the field.
When my son played soccer as a 6-year old, there were two types of kids playing. Kids that wore shoes with shoelaces and kids that couldn't tie their shoes and therefore wore shoes with velcro straps. The Wonderlic tells you which players may need the equivalent of shoes with velcro straps.
2 recs | 40 comments
Oftentimes I lick things - like glass, or pudding.
Right afterwards, I wonder, should I have licked that?
Nickthegrip - February 12, 2012
What color velcro straps...
Does Scandrick wears??
I remember easily at least two games we lost this year with the help of his stupidity… I mean… Lack of intelligence.
Cuban Cowboy - February 12, 2012 via mobile
That block in the back
On special teams at the end of the game (I think it was Arizona) nulifiying Dez’s great return to their side of the field, still gives me nightmares, he had no reason at all to do that, other than maybe his belcro was lose and he tripped over the guys back.
Cuban Cowboy - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Did you watch the play?
Guy was running down field to block, Scandrick was behind him. Guy stops completely, unexpectedly, write sole intention of drawing a penalty. Like taking a charge in basketball.
CotySaxman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Yeah..
the guy flopped and everything. The refs fell for it.
BigDumbFace - February 12, 2012
C'mon Coty
The guy is plain stupid, he can run a sub 4’3 40 but his football skills are just not there. But dont worry, we just gave him an extension so he can prove he doesnt belong for another 3-4 years
Cuban Cowboy - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Don't take my word for it. Watch the play.
CotySaxman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Marino Wasn't Even Smart Enough to Hold a FG Snap
Ray Finkle was totally thrown under the bus. Laces out!
Lord Humungus - February 12, 2012
haha
yehti - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Shhhh
Dont mention the FG snap, I know a guy with a 37 wonderlic who couldnt either
Cuban Cowboy - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Off topic, but the FCC is looking at eliminating the NFL blackout rule.
Check the SB Nation clicks on the right, or I put it up in a fanshot. You can find it there.
The FCC is taking comments from the public on this till Feb 28th if you want to hop in. There is a link on how to do a comment in the SB Nation story.
This could be a big deal for local fans who have their home team games blacked out due to the game not selling out.
Rena - February 12, 2012
You can't have a QB with velcro shoes.
He must be able to read the complex defenses quickly and make the needed adjustments. Also the C must be able to read and adjust protection. The better WR and TE also read coverages to a lesser degree. I am not sure if the entire defensive backfield have velcro , but it wouldn’t be a big surprise. Should the Velcro test be used for coaches staff too ?
oldboysfan - February 12, 2012
For What "Real Profession" Does That Qualify Vince Young?
With a 6? Feeding Tube Beneficiary?
Lord Humungus - February 12, 2012
Public sector perhaps?
Just jokes people! (sort of :) haha.
Luke. - February 12, 2012
Well played, sir
I’m sure some public sector employees would agree. I have a buddy in the TSA who hates everyone he works with.
Lord Humungus - February 12, 2012 via mobile
The Wonderlic matters...
The average QB score is 24.
NFL Top Eleven (Top Third) Quarterbacks:
2009 – Name, Wonderlic Score, QB Rating.
Drew Brees – 28 – 109.6
Brett Farve – 22 – 107.2
Philip Rivers – 30 – 104.4
Aaron Rodgers – 35 – 103.2
Ben Roethlisberger – 25 – 100.5
Peyton Manning – 28 – 99.9
Matt Schaub – 31 – 98.6
Tony Romo – 37 – 97.6
Tom Brady – 33 – 96.2
Kurt Warner – ?? – 93.2
Eli Manning – 39 – 93.1
That’s the Top 3rd of QB’s in the NFL in 2009. The only person under the average QB score of 24 is Brett Farve (a guy with a career long reputation for throwing boneheaded interceptions at the worst possible time!). Every other QB on the list scores over the average of 24. As a group (including Farve) they averaged almost 31 (30.8).
2010 – Name, Wonderlic Score, QB rating.
Tom Brady – 33 – 111.0
Philip Rivers – 30 – 101.8
Aaron Rodgers – 35 – 101.2
Michael Vick – 20 – 100.2
Ben Roethlisberger – 25 – 97.0
Josh Freeman – 27 – 95.9
Joe Flacco – 27 – 93.6
Matt Cassell – ?? – 93.0
Matt Schaub – 31 – 92.0
Peyton Manning – 28 – 91.9
Matt Ryan – 32 – 91.0
That’s the Top 3rd of QB’s in the NFL in 2010. The only person under the average QB score of 24 is Michael Vick who had a career year is probably the most athletically gifted QB of all-time (he also immediately reverted back to his career average rating the next year – 75-80). Every other QB on the list scored over the QB average score of 24. As a group (including Vick) they averaged almost 29 (28.8).
2011 – Name, Wonderlic Score, QB rating.
Aaron Rodgers – 35 – 122.5
Drew Brees – 28 – 110.6
Tom Brady – 33 – 105.6
Tony Romo – 37 – 102.5
Matthew Stafford – 38 – 97.2
Matt Schaub – 31 – 96.8
Eli Manning – 39 – 92.9
Matt Ryan – 32 – 92.2
Alex Smith – 40 – 90.7
Ben Roethlisberger – 25 – 90.1
Philip Rivers – 30 – 88.7
That’s the Top 3rd of the QB’s in the NFL in 2011. There are zero QB’s under the average score of 24. As a group they averaged a score over 33 (33.45).
Superbowl winning QB’s from 2000 onwards:
Kurt Warner – ??
Trent Dilfer – 22.
Tom Brady – 33.
Brad Johnson – ??
Tom Brady – 33.
Tom Brady – 33.
Ben Roethlisberger – 25.
Peyton Manning – 28.
Eli Manning – 39.
Ben Roethlisberger – 25.
Drew Brees – 28.
Aaron Rodgers – 35.
Eli Manning – 39.
The last 13 Superbowl winning QB’s average 31 on their Wonderlic. The only QB to score under the total NFL average of 24 was Trent Dilfer (22) and he’s famous for being the beneficiary of an NFL All-Time great Defense. The other average scorer who’s won Superbowls, Big Ben, is also helped by a consistently fantastic Defense.
The Wonderlic matters.
Anyway, it’s very late here, I’m off to bed so I don’t have to read 20 replies like “the Wonderlic is irrelevant because Dan Marino scored a 13!!” Hahaha…
Luke. - February 12, 2012
If anything it proves who the fast thinkers are... totally unrelated to football
QB is a challenging position on thought process… so is OL but that doesn’t mean they need to get high Wonderlic scores. There’s obviously a correlation though. What that Harvard kids score? I bet its good.
The ability to pick up that playbook and study is pretty important.
scraig - February 12, 2012
True
The Dolphins must have had an easy playbook. If that was the case, then we are looking at one major and lucky team. Nowdays, Dan Marino would have had a four to five year NFL career with three different teams. The first one he would be the starter for about one season before being supplanted the the veteran who has a thing or two to prove to his old team. Then he is simply a backup for the other two teams. As it is, the legacy of Marino can be summed up in Super Bowl 19.
Jessy S - February 12, 2012
well ideally you get guys high in both
Fitzpatrick has a high wonderlic but he doesn’t have the athletic ability to back it up. You can be a very good athlete and then never having the mental skills to process the speed of the game too
somebodyquiet - February 12, 2012
You don’t think it’s important for a QB to be a fast thinker? To put it mildly I’ll just say I strongly disagree with that statement.
Well I’ve showed some lists of high QB performance and high Wonderlic scores. Now, if you’re claiming you don’t need a high score to succeed then you should show me a list of high performing QB’s in the last 20 years who’ve scored under the QB Wonderlic average of 24 so we can compare. Also I’d like to see your list of Superbowl winning QB’s who’ve scored under the average of 24 to compare it to my list of winners who score over the average. This should not take you long as I’ve a hunch your lists will be very, very short.
Here’s another list:
QB’s with multiple Superbowl victories since 1990 (over 20 years of play)
Troy Aikman, 3 Superbowls – 29.
Tom Brady, 3 Superbowls – 33.
John Elway, 2 Superbowls – 29.
Ben Roethlisberger, 2 Superbowls – 25.
Eli Manning, 2 Superbowls – 39.
Multiple Superbowl winning QB’s average a score of 31.
So for the last 3 years in the NFL the Top 3rd of QB’s average score is 31.
Since the year 2000 the average Superbowl winning QB score is 31.
Since 1990 the multiple Superbowl winning QB average score is 31.
The Wonderlic matters.
Luke. - February 12, 2012
where is Romo among the list?
lostar2009 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
37 Wonderlic score dude
Rohpuri - February 12, 2012 via mobile
A true
Velcro moment….
dunkman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
40!
Took that sample test once and I received a 40….glad to be better than Eli (39) at something!
Through Thick And Thin - February 12, 2012
Yea I got a 49 on it last year.
A 99 ASVAB, too, for what it’s worth. But it didn’t matter for football, because even at 7% body fat I couldn’t break a 5 second 40. In high school I ran a 6.4 in pads. Can’t fix slow.
CotySaxman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
cant tie laces at 6????
But it is convient tho.. esp for like sports
lostar2009 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Did anyone else
take the sample test at the link in this article? It is not easy.
nospinzonefactor - February 12, 2012
i did..
And i notice some of those questions required before hand knowledge about stuff( only a few)
But i figure most out by just reading carefully… while a few requires you to have great general math or problem solving skills ( skip over those bc of time limitations) it was obvious to me.. this test doesnt test IQ
lostar2009 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
IQ tests are hard to administer later in life.
I took one as a young child and it mostly involved timed puzzles and pattern recognition. As you get older, it is more indicative of your quality of education than capacity to think.
Coincidentally, I took one at 19 as well, and it was mostly pattern recognition with a stop watch.
CotySaxman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
OCC, great post
I think this will provide everyone a better understanding of the testing at the Combine.
Birddog26 - February 12, 2012
Anybody know what marty B scored?
I would imagine someone who changed his name to Ochocinco and then changed it back to Johnson didn’t score real high.
I thought they didn’t make these scores public.
TCB Orange Dino - February 12, 2012
The Eagles won't make DeSean Jackson's Wonderlic public
Rohpuri - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Jackson scored higher than a doornail
but lower than a doorknob.
One.Cool.Customer - February 12, 2012
So using the laces scale
What is that? Slip ons??
dunkman - February 12, 2012 via mobile
More like Flip Flops
1Bullseye - February 12, 2012
-12
Archie Barberio - February 12, 2012
Either most of them are made public after the fact.
Or they are leaked to the media. For example we might know Andrew Luck’s Wonderlic score.
Jessy S - February 13, 2012
33 without anything to write on
I am terrible at pattern recognition or whatever was going on in those matrices of letters/numbers. Of course, I haven’t done any of those questions in ages while I work with math daily.
Romo + Eli’s scores are pretty darn impressive.
If I hadn’t spent the last year year working in local high school math classes, I would wonder how Vince Young only got a 6. But I’m fairly sure I know students who wouldn’t be able to answer a single question on that test.
foyesboys - February 13, 2012
I thought wonderlick was that scene
when dude was licking the snazberries off the patrol car window
SuperSerial - February 13, 2012
can you use a calculator?
i mean, when i went to elementary school i was pretty good at calculating things using only my brain, but my skills went on a long, steady descent when i got my first calculator.
now sometimes i can do it, and sometimes adding up three numbers is difficult :(
slowmotion80 - February 13, 2012
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