© Jason Getz | 2019 Dec 28
The Wonderlic test is given to most top tier NFL prospects by the league to measure their cognitive ability and problem-solving aptitude. The results from this year’s exceptionally strong wide receiver draft class were released today and saw the consensus top two prospects — CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy — struggle mightily. Henry Ruggs, who has been mocked to the 49ers by a handful of draft experts, posted the fifth highest score.
WR Wonderlic Scores:
Michael Pittman 29
Bryan Edwards 28
Chase Claypool 27
Brandon Aiyuk 23
Henry Ruggs 20
Justin Jefferson 19
Denzel Mims 17
KJ Hamler 15
Laviska Shenault 14
Jalen Reagor 13
Cee Dee Lamb 12
Van Jefferson 12
Tee Higgins 11
Jerry Jeudy 9
as per @BobMcGinn#NFLDraft— First N Goal (@First_N_Goal1) April 15, 2020
The test is given to job seekers in a number of industries. Twenty is generally considered an average score, while anything less than 10 is considered possibly illiterate.
So what does this mean when it comes to who is going to be a good football player? History would tell you not a whole lot. The greatest running back in 49ers history, Frank Gore, scored a six. Darrelle Revis scored a 10, Randy Moss scored a 12, Ray Lewis and Lamar Jackson scored a 13.
The numbers are a little more interesting when it comes to the 49ers, who have typically drafted high scorers during the John Lynch / Kyle Shanahan regime. Mike McGlinchey scored highest in his o-line class, while Fred Warner and Dante Pettis had the second-highest score at their respective positions.
That’s not a hard and fast rule though. They did also select Reuben Foster, who scored a nine. Interestingly, Ruggs who has been considered as the most likely to fall to the Niners for a few weeks now, scored the highest of the top three.