When an incoming football player scores in the teens on the Wonderlic exam, a 50-question intelligence test, eyebrows usually are raised a bit.
When a guy gets in the single digits, it’s time for a shirtless Tequila party.
This year, Indiana defensive end Greg Middleton managed a decidedly un-Big 10 performance with only a six on the test, according to a league source. Not far ahead of Middleton was offensive lineman John Jerry of Mississippi, who got 41 wrong, nine right.
Four years ago, quarterback Vince Young scored a six on the test. The number later was adjusted to a seven; the next day, he used a Mulligan to push the number into the teens.
Barely missing out on a less-then-10 score this year were Oregon tight end Ed Dickson (10), Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman (11), and, we’ve confirmed, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller (10) and Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn (11).
We’re told that the low man on the quarterback totem pole was West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown, with a 15. That’s still two points higher than Dan Marino scored 27 years ago, when he matched his jersey number with a 13.
The correlation between the Wonderlic results and on-field performance remains debatable, since there are no pencils on a football field (with the exception of the one Mike Tice keeps behind his ear).
We also think that some scouts and coaches would be just as troubled by a really high score as they would be by a really low one. And that mindset could hurt Minnesota receiver Eric Decker, who we’ve confirmed answered 43 of the 50 questions correctly.