While the players listed below scored below average on their Wonderlic test during the NFL Combine, their athleticism and performance on the field during tryouts made them fantastically qualified to join the NFL. While coaches and team leaders prefer players with an average score, as opposed to a score on either extreme, some players can prove themselves very useful on the field, regardless of their ability to navigate the Wonderlic test.
Player | Wonderlic Score | Draft Position |
---|---|---|
Morris Claiborne | 4 | Round 1, Pick 6 |
Frank Gore | 6 | Round 3, Pick 65 |
Terrelle Pryor | 7 | Round 3 |
Travis Henry | 9 | Round 2, Pick 58 |
Jeff George | 10 | Round 1, Pick 1 |
Cordarrelle Patterson | 11 | Round 1, Pick 29 |
The players below performed exceptionally well on the Wonderlic test, and while most had good careers, their high score led to some believing that they may have been picked earlier had they done worse on the test. For coaches and scouts, the Wonderlic has served as the marker of a player’s ability to perform under pressure, why the most centrally-aligned scores tend to fare best, we may never know. That aside, any player that scores highly on the Wonderlic should definitely be proud of their accomplishment, since most never get to finish the test on time, much less complete it only nine minutes like Ryan Fitzpatrick!
Player | Wonderlic Score | Draft Position |
---|---|---|
Aaron Rodgers | 35 | Round 1, Pick 24 |
Colin Kaepernick | 37 | Round 2, Pick 36 |
Tony Romo | 37 | Undrafted |
Matthew Stafford | 38 | Round 1, Pick 1 |
Eli Manning | 39 | Round 1, Pick 1 |
Calvin Johnson | 41 | Round 1, Pick 2 |
Greg McElroy | 43 | Round 7, Pick 208 |
Matt Birk | 46 | Round 6, Pick 173 |
Ryan Fitzpatrick | 48 | Round 7, Pick 270 |
Mike Mamula | 49 | Round 1, Pick 7 |
Pat McInally | 50 | Round 5, Pick 120 |