From NFL teams to private industry, the Wonderlic test is used to measure the learning and reasoning ability of people.
The test was developed by industrial psychologist Eldon F. Wonderlic. The score is calculated as the number of correct answers given in the allotted time. A score of 20 is intended to indicate average intelligence.
Potential NFL and other professional sports prospects are given the test to measure their learning and problem solving ability, which supposedley translates to their on-the-field ability to grasp game situations.
While an average football player usually scores around 20 points, Wonderlic, Inc. claims a score of at least 10 points suggests a person is literate. Furthermore, when the test was given to miscellaneous people of various professions, it was observed that the average participant scored a 24. Examples of scores from everyday professions include:
- Chemist – 31
- Programmer – 29
- Journalist – 26
- Sales – 24
- Bank teller – 22
- Clerical worker – 21
- Security guard – 17
- Warehouse – 14
According to The Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football, the average score in the NFL per position are:
- 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
Ryan Fitzpatrick, also a Harvard graduate and currently a quarterback with the Bills, had also been rumored to have scored a perfect 50 points in only nine minutes. However, Fitzpatrick denied this, saying that he had left at least one of the 50 answer spaces blank. The Wall Street Journal later reported that Fitzpatrick's actual score was 48 but that Fitzpatrick's claim of completing the Wonderlic in only nine minutes was accurate. On the other hand, some high profile players have scored rather low on the test. Dan Marino and Vince Young both supposedly scored 16 on the test, and Vince Young supposedly scored a 6 on his first attempt. Marcus Vick, brother of Michael Vick, scored 11. Michael himself scored a 20.
Some sample test questions and answers can be found here. Send your test results to us and we will give you a gold star .
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