Skip to main content

Are You Smart Enough To Be a NFL 1st Round Pick?


Recently, it was made public that team representatives were asking prospective NFL players during the combine questions about their sexual orientation. Some were asked if they were heterosexual, with one player stating that he was asked, "do you like girls?"

As the NFL investigates the situations, the recent allegations have stirred up controversy and debate. Some say that teams should be allowed to do so in hopes of selecting the right player to mesh within their existing team locker room. Others claim that the question was that of psychology in which a question is tossed out to force the brain away from stock answers the responder has prepared. And finally, of course, many wonder why it would matter, since such a question is illegal within the realms of a job interview.

Personally, I'm in the majority. Why should it matter? One of the beautiful things about sports is that regardless of what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or even any character quirks you might have, the only question should be - can you play? 

That's the way it was growing up playing in the driveway, the streets and the parks, and that is the way it is in the big arenas and stadiums. Can you play?

This is why I find the NFL's propensity to make the combine (now another television event) a big deal really tough to take seriously. These players who are just a number (literally) and treated like pieces of meat aren't  enough reasons to garner negative feedback, but they then include these ridiculous tests as if any of it actually matters. None of it is particularly relevant, and none of it carries any type of scientific surety. 

Can you play? 

And because there are some large financial responsibility tied to the selection, a personal interview and background check is surely acceptable. 




But for the heck of it, let's just assume you, the reader, are a top quarterback prospect from [your choice of school]. Regardless of whatever accomplishments you've achieved in the collegiate ranks, and even if you lucked out on a good day and maxed out on all of the 40 yard dashes, long jumps, high jumps, bench reps, and all of the other ridiculous activities they force you through (sounds like a Crossfit challenge, doesn't it?), it comes down to answering these stupid questions the correct way. 

When choosing teams down at the local Y, no captain says, "excuse me, can you quickly answer these three questions?"

In fact, how many times do the fastest and strongest guys translate to the on-field/court performance of that particular sport? Not very often. Actually, it's very unlikely.

So, here goes. The following link is a website that offers a mini Wonderlic Test (used in NFL combine). It is 15 questions, and you have three minutes and thirty-six seconds (very odd time) to answer them all. The test will grade your answers, and even give you a comparison to an NFL player's score. 


Are you smart enough to be an NFL 1st round pick? 

If you're like me, you'll know that it shouldn't matter. Can you play is still the main question, with your character being the deciding factor on whether you are a candidate.

Recently Read Posts

A Product of Us: Thoughts on Durant Trade

I said back in July when Kevin Durant rocked the NBA world with his trade request, that he "showed us who he was".  It wasn't a negative comment, but one that encompasses his entire career being a product of our current sport climate - success and focus on legacy. We emphasize the value of a career on rings, and thus, Durant has too. Why wouldn't he?!  Upon waking up and realizing that Durant will don the purple and orange for the Phoenix Suns in what is clearly now a team to watch come the NBA Playoffs, I find myself further pondering if Kevin Durant is the prime result of what we - yes, us! - have done to the modern athlete.  Today, Durant is one of the greatest basketball players I've ever seen. EVER. The dude is rare. He's a seven-foot magician which makes defending him even more difficult based on how damn efficient he is on the basketball court. It's downright poetic and beautiful to watch Durant play. And yes, I'm romanticizing his game. I belie

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/19/23

3 Up 1. Migrant Help - So much is facing our nation right now. The Migrant crisis is one of them. For me - and again, just me - as I know how easy narratives are to roll right into personal politics these days, you rarely hear about solutions. It wasn't a huge story this week, but it definitely impacted me. We need more of this.  2. College Athletics - From March Madness and so many upsets along with the new landscape of college athletics taking shape, to the NCAA Wrestling Championships - this week was fun. Shout out to Caitlyn Clark who continues to be awesome. Farleigh Dickinson making history. And Matt Ramos gave us the biggest shock of the year - pinning 3-time National Champion, Spencer Lee.  3. World Baseball Classic - People seriously think "no one cares about this tournament". Like, really? The WBC alone is awesome. At the very core of it, I'd take this over Spring Training any year.  3 Down 1. Big Tech Layoffs - Big Tech continues to downsize, with this wee

CM Punk's Return - Perfect Timing for the Symbol of Anti-WWE

Looooooooook in my eyes, what do you see?! The lyrics to Cult of Personality, especially that first bar,  never felt so fitting for CM Punk as it did last night.  For the most part, everything that is CM Punk's return to wrestling last night at AEW Rampage ties directly into my latest thoughts on pro wrestling - the company is making it must-see destination television, an element desperately needed from pro wrestling.  Last night was incredible as again, it was another moment that made wrestling feel alive - with a wild and energetic pulse. It was one of the coolest moments in pro wrestling that you knew was coming, expected, anticipated, and it was everything and more. Again, MUST-SEE television. That's hard to do.  For me, it wasn't just Punk's return to pro wrestling, but the mere presence and voice of his inclusion in today's space. We know that Punk can deliver on the microphone - probably his best and most signature attribute. We also know that yes, he can

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/26/23

3 Up 1. Aid Workers Freed - After six years of captivity, an American aid worker who served as a missionary and as a humanitarian aid worker was freed in Niger. The story is one that surely places life in perspective.  2. Shoehei Ohtani - Ohtani sure is fun on the big stage, huh? MLB has one of the most entertaining athletes on the globe. Let's hope they can capitalize on that.  2a. Team Japan - I won't get into the wars of baseball here, but it sure was fun to watch Japan's approach to baseball throughout the tournament. There's a lot to be said about how they play the game, more so, how they teach the game.  2c. World Baseball Classic - Ohtani vs. Trout to end the tournament. You couldn't have drawn up a better script. I completely expect the next one to be just as good.  3. Adam Sandler - Say what you want about Sandler - fan or not - receiving the Mark Twain Prize for his almost-three decades of work is pretty remarkable. I actually had the privilege to meet Sa