The Wonderlic test has been used by the NFL for a number of years to determine the intelligence of a rookie for proficiency in playing the game. Currently there is quite a bit of controversy as to the validity of the test, and if it actually provides useful information.
The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test has been used by employees, including the NFL, and is a twelve-minute, fifty-question test used to assess the aptitude of prospective employees for learning and problem-solving in a range of occupations. It was developed by Eldon F. Wonderlic.
Famous players such as Hall of fame quarterback Dan Marino once scored a 14, and NFL flameout Ryan Leaf scored a 27 out of a possible fifty. The average is said to be around the low 20’s.
Rumour has it that Greg McElroy of the Alabama quarterback scored 48 in a recent test making him, according to the Wonderlic test, the smartest player in the NFL.
Is it a useful test? Wonderlics daughter Kathy Kolbe doesn’t think so:
“The first time I heard they were using it, I had to laugh. The issue isn’t whether or not to use the Wonderlic. It’s: Don’t say it tells you how a player is going to do. Because it doesn’t.
