15 Players With The Best Wonderlic Scores In NFL Combine History

By Shawn Spencer

15 Players With The Best Wonderlic Scores In NFL Combine History

Blaine Gabbert Jaguars — The Wonderlic test has been a part of the NFL Combine for over 40 years. While the workout and position drills are in place to test a prospect's athletic ability, the Wonderlic test measures a player's cognitive ability. The scores are not publicly released, however many scores, especially the extremely high or low ones, are leaked. Here are the 15 players with the best reported Wonderlic scores.

15. Jeff Mathews (QB-Cornell): 40

Jeff Mathews Cornell

15. Jeff Mathews (QB-Cornell): 40

Jeff Mathews Cornell — Just last year, Jeff Mathews of Cornell posted one of the top scores in recent history. The Ivy League QB performed well on the Wonderlic, however the game tape and on-field drills are why he went undrafted. He lacked the mechanics and overall athletic ability to play at the highest level. He spent some time with the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, but wasn't able to keep his roster spot. He'll spend 2015 in the CFL.

14. Alex Smith (QB-Utah): 40

Alex Smith 49ers

14. Alex Smith (QB-Utah): 40

Alex Smith 49ers — Leading up to the 2005 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers were debating between quarterbacks Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers. In the end, the 49ers selected Smith at No. 1, while Rodgers would fall all the way to the Green Bay Packers at No. 24. Both players scored well on the Wonderlic, but Smith's score was slightly higher. He has gone on to have success with the 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, but Rodgers has turned out to be the better player.

13. Ryan Nassib (QB-Syracuse): 41

Ryan Nassib Giants

13. Ryan Nassib (QB-Syracuse): 41

Ryan Nassib Giants — Despite his high score, Ryan Nassib was drafted behind fellow quarterbacks E.J. Manuel, Geno Smith, Mike Glennon and Matt Barkley. Even worse, his own coach at Syracuse, Doug Marrone, decided Manuel was the better prospect. Nassib has been behind Eli Manning on the depth chart the past two seasons. With Manning entering the final year of his contract, Nassib may finally get his chance to shine in 2016.

12. Hugh Millen (QB-Washington): 41

Hugh Millen Broncos

12. Hugh Millen (QB-Washington): 41

Hugh Millen Broncos — Hugh Millen didn't have a lot of success in the NFL, but he stuck around longer than expected. Millen was a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams back in 1986, but he spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve. Over the course of his 11-year career, Millen started just 25 games. He's best known as the guy who preceded Drew Bledsoe in New England. Despite a great Wonderlic score, Millen couldn't find success in the NFL.

11. Bruce Eugene (QB-Grambling State): 41

Bruce Eugene Grambling

11. Bruce Eugene (QB-Grambling State): 41

Bruce Eugene Grambling — Players from outside the FBS face long odds to make an NFL roster. Bruce Eugene's Wonderlic score slightly improved his odds, but it wasn't enough to land him a roster spot. Two 1-AA (now FCS) quarterbacks were drafted in 2006, but Eugene wasn't one of them. He was signed by both the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but never took a snap in a game. At 6-feet and 283 pounds, his size hindered his ability to play at the highest level.

10. Calvin Johnson (WR-Georgia Tech): 41

Calvin Johnson Lions

10. Calvin Johnson (WR-Georgia Tech): 41

Calvin Johnson Lions — The Wonderlic results aren't always the best indication of a prospect's future success. In Calvin Johnson's case, the test proved he was much more than a tall WR who knew how to high-point the football. The Detroit Lions selected Johnson with the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft. The only player selected ahead of Johnson was QB JaMarcus Russell, who scored a 24 on the Wonderlic.

9. Drew Henson (QB-Michigan): 42

Drew Henson Cowboys

9. Drew Henson (QB-Michigan): 42

Drew Henson Cowboys — In the late 1990s, Drew Henson was Tom Brady's backup at Michigan. At the time, Henson was viewed as the better prospect. Despite his commitment to the New York Yankees, the Houston Texans drafted Henson in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. He scored very well on the Wonderlic and appeared to have the skills to be a successful QB in the NFL, but a lack of commitment likely caused his career to flounder.

8. Blaine Gabbert (QB-Missouri): 42

Blaine Gabbert Jaguars

8. Blaine Gabbert (QB-Missouri): 42

Blaine Gabbert Jaguars — In 2011, four quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks of the draft. With Cam Newton and Jake Locker off the board, the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Blaine Gabbert with the No. 10 pick. He only started two seasons at Missouri, but Gabbert threw for over 3,000 yards both years. Despite having the size and smarts teams covet in a starting QB, he struggled in Jacksonville. The Jaguars lost the last 10 games in which Gabbert played.

7. Jason Maas (QB-Oregon): 43

Jason Maas Oregon

7. Jason Maas (QB-Oregon): 43

Jason Maas Oregon — Before Oregon became an offensive powerhouse, Jason Maas was one of the school's starting quarterbacks. He eventually lost his starting job to Akili Smith, but his Wonderlic score impressed the Baltimore Ravens enough to earn him a shot to make the roster. After not making the Ravens roster, Maas would go on to play 11 seasons in the CFL. He is a great example of a player's smarts leading to success outside of the NFL.

6. Greg McElroy (QB-Alabama): 43

Greg McElroy Jets

6. Greg McElroy (QB-Alabama): 43

Greg McElroy Jets — Despite their success in college, Alabama quarterbacks have failed to make an impact in the NFL as of late. Greg McElroy was a seventh-round pick in 2011, but he was relegated to third-string duties. After only three years in the league, McElroy retired. His 43 on the Wonderlic test indicates he had the smarts to play QB, but the physical tools just weren't there.

5. Kevin Curtis (WR-Utah State): 48

Kevin Curtis Dolphins

5. Kevin Curtis (WR-Utah State): 48

Kevin Curtis Dolphins — Originally a third-round pick of the Rams in 2003, Kevin Curtis played for three teams in his eight-year career. Although he lacked the prototypical size of an NFL receiver, Curtis' Wonderlic score and 40-yard dash elevated his stock prior to the draft. After being stuck behind Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt on the depth chart, Curtis flourished as a starter for the Eagles in 2007. His Wonderlic score of 48 is the highest ever reported for a WR.

4. Benjamin Watson (TE-Georgia): 48

Benjamin Watson Saints

4. Benjamin Watson (TE-Georgia): 48

Benjamin Watson Saints — Benjamin Watson's college statistics didn't blow anyone away, but his combination of size, speed and smarts led the Patriots to draft the TE in the first round in 2004. By far, his Wonderlic score of 48 is the highest reported score for a TE. Although he's still in the NFL, Watson appears to have already found his next career. He's appeared multiple times on cable news networks to discuss his personal beliefs and opinions on a variety of topics.

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB-Harvard): 48

Ryan Fitzpatrick Texans

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB-Harvard): 48

Ryan Fitzpatrick Texans — Quarterbacks typically score well on the Wonderlic test compared to other positions, so a QB from Harvard should score off the charts. Ryan Fitzpatrick did just that when he posted a 48. He would be the 13th and final QB selected in the 2005 NFL Draft. Although he was a journeyman QB early in his career, Fitzpatrick has been smart about choosing his employers. Those decisions have allowed him to grab the starting job for three different teams.

2. Mike Mamula (DE-Boston College): 49

Mike Mamula Eagles

2. Mike Mamula (DE-Boston College): 49

Mike Mamula Eagles — Mike Mamula's performance at the Combine may go down as the greatest ever. He ran a 4.58 40-yard dash, had a vertical jump of 38.5 inches and bench pressed 225 pounds 28 times. His performance at the Combine is legendary, but his Wonderlic score is often left out. Mamula scored a 49 on the test, the highest ever for a defensive player. After being a projected mid-round pick before the Combine, the Eagles selected him No. 7 overall.

1. Pat McInally (P/WR-Harvard): 50

Pat McInally Bengals

1. Pat McInally (P/WR-Harvard): 50

Pat McInally Bengals — The only perfect score in Combine history belongs to P/WR Pat McInally. He scored a perfect 50 on the test and was drafted in the fifth round in 1975. After he retired, McInally said he believes the perfect score actually hurt his draft stock. He played in one Pro Bowl and one Super Bowl during his 10-year career with the Bengals. The Harvard grad was also one of the founders of Starting Lineup action figures.

Shawn Spencer is an NFL Draft writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Spencer_NFL, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

Related:
Predicting the Top Performer in Every Combine Workout Drill
10 Biggest Combine Snubs

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