Snappers are Wonderlicin’ good

Pro Football Weekly has the NFL Wonderlic test scores for 2005 rookies posted on its Web site, and looking at the average scores by position, it seems the phrase “big, dumb lineman,” no longer is applicable. The results reveal that centers lead all positions with an average test score of 29, giving further evidence to the idea that the closer a player is to the pigskin, the greater his intelligence. Quarterbacks averaged 27 on the intelligence test, which is given each year at the NFL Scouting Combine. Tight ends also did well on last year’s Wonderlic, averaging a 27. Local guy Heath Miller, tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had one of the highest scores with a 37. Texas A&M’s Geoff Hangartner, a center, was the highest tester with 47 out of a possible 50 points. At the other end of the spectrum were wide receivers, scoring the lowest with an average of 18. Pass catchers were followed closely by defensive tackles and cornerbacks with 19. The player posting the lowest Wonderlic score was running back Frank Gore of “The U” with a Vince Young-like six.

ESPN.com’s Page 2 listed Monday the average Wonderlic scores for various professions. The list goes like this… Chemist, 31; Programmer, 29; Newswriter, 26; Sales; 24; Bank teller, 22; Clerical Worker, 21; Security Guard, 17; Warehouse, 15.

The Vince Young test scores story, you may recall, is the second involving player intelligence and Wonderlic scores in the past six months. In September reports revealed the Green Bay Packers had the lowest Wonderlic scores among the NFL’s 32 teams. That was when it was suggested, and we forget by whom, that the Packers may be taking the short bus to games.

Young's legs scramble, brain scrambled

When Vince Young announced weeks ago that he would not throw for scouts at this weekend's NFL Combine, we sure didn't think the former University of Texas quarterback would be dominating the headlines as the event winds down. But just as his legs and arm helped the Longhorns win the NCAA national championship in January, it's now Young's noodle that has him potentially slipping from a top five pick in April's NFL Draft to possibly the bottom of the first round and maybe into the second round. Young's reported unbelievably low score – six out of a possible 50 points – on the Wonderlic test has the NFL scrambling to gloss over the situation. Reports now say the QB's score was 16 not six. We've even heard Young was allowed a do-over – and spotted 10 points. (Ok, we made up the second part of that sentence.) The Wonderlic test is employed by the NFL to measure cognitive ability, and the results are supposed to be confidential. However, that didn't stop someone with knowledge of Young's results from leaking the information to the media Saturday. Our newest favorite football news Web site, profootballtalk.com, says the leaker will soon be slipping on something pink.