Joe Thuney was once advised to not take entire Wonderlic test because he might 'scare off' NFL teams
A part of the NFL pre-draft process is that players take the Wonderlic test, which is an intelligence test used to assess aptitude for learning and problem-solving. That test has been used as a scale to gauge how players would be able to handle the mental aspect of being in the league.
Apparently, players, or at least one player, was advised to not answer all 50 questions on the exam, like New England Patriots left guard Joe Thuney, who was told during the 2016 pre-draft process that he shouldn't answer more than 39 questions because he would "scare off" NFL teams with his intellect.
Fansided's NFL National Reporter Matt Verderame told the complete story in a piece published on Monday.
"Entering the combine, Thuney was advised not to answer all 50 questions on the Wonderlic test for fear he’d scare off teams with his intellect," Verderame wrote. "Instead, he was instructed to answer only 39 questions, ensuring his score remained below 40. Thuney listened. He answered all 39 questions correctly."
So much for that. Luckily for Thuney, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick likes smart football players, which is why he drafted Thuney in the 3rd round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Since then, Thuney has yet to miss a regular or postseason game in three seasons as the starting left guard for New England. His strong play and reliability has played a large part in the Patriots' success in that time span and will continue to do the same going forward.
