3
Apr
2012
LSU’s Morris Claiborne only scored a 4 on his Wonderlic test
At each year’s Scouting Combine, the NFL makes all of the top draft prospects sit down and take the fabled Wonderlic Test – a 50 question exam that must be answered in 12 minutes, and is meant to gauge the athletes’ basic reasoning skills and overall intelligence. The test isn’t necessarily a direct predictor of success at the pro level, and each team places their own value on the scores when building out their draft board … but in some cases, the Wonderlic scores can raise a red flag.
According to ProFootballTalk.com, the top-rated cornerback in the upcoming NFL draft – LSU’s Morris Claiborne – reportedly scored just a FOUR on his Wonderlic. That’s right … a four. To give you an idea of just how bad that is, wunderkind Vince Young scored a six. So Claiborne has now officially achieved the lowest score ever recorded.
UPDATE: Since Claiborne’s score was leaked, reports have come out suggesting that he suffers from a learning disability that likely affected his score. So perhaps the Wonderlic should not be viewed as a direct indication of Claiborne’s intelligence.
(Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images via BleacherReport)
Now, as we mentioned, a low Wonderlic score shouldn’t necessarily scare teams off, and there have been plenty of less-than-bright athletes who have had successful careers in the NFL. Last year’s top CB Patrick Peterson only scored a 9, and had a tremendous rookie campaign. Wide Receivers AJ Green (10) and Hakeem Nicks (11) aren’t exactly rocket scientists either, and have turned out alright.
While a quarterback or offensive lineman who does poorly on this test should definitely be a concern, positions like CB and WR – that are mainly based on instinct and reaction – are probably less impacted by a low Wonderlic. So this probably isn’t as big of a deal as some people are going to make it out to be for Claiborne.
13
Mar
2011
TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 6-10
Colt McCoy needs a dance partner. A.J. Green will do. (Source: BCSknowhow.com)
For picks 1 through 5, go here.
Let’s continue with picks 6 through 10.
6. Cleveland Browns – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia: Cleveland’s in a terrible spot. They’re moving to the 4-3, but have nothing along the defensive line. They have a promising young quarterback in Colt McCoy — and they’re moving to the West Coast Offense — but he’s got almost nobody to throw to. They just cut NT Shaun Rogers along with a flock of grizzled defensive veterans — a fiscally sound move, but one that’s left Browns fans wondering who will take the field next season. Changing offensive and defensive philosophies during a lockout-hampered offseason in which coaches cannot communicate with players is tougher. The free-agency window possibly opening for mere weeks, if at all, is tougher. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have stayed the course. This draft is critical for the Browns, forced to address needs all over the place. Pat Shurmur was brought in to groom McCoy and flip the switch on offense — and Green is the kind of sizzling wideout the team’s been missing since Braylon Edwards broke free in 2007 — and before that, since Webster Slaughter. Still, many could question the Browns passing up one of the blue-chip defensive linemen — but how do you meet two needs at once?
7. San Francisco 49ers – Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson: This is a tough one for me. In a mock with trades, I see Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers pressing for a quarterback, or possibly even trading down into a spot where they can gather picks and select Florida’s Christian Ponder late in the first. Honestly, how many more coaches can call Alex Smith their starter? That experiment needs to cease. With Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert off the board, the 49ers select Bowers, a defensive end who comes with question marks around the health of his knee, but, if ruled healthy, could serve as defensive stronghold while Harbaugh seeks a quarterback elsewhere. Moroever, there are some promising young passers to be had later in the draft, such as Washngton’s Jake Locker and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – not to mention the polarizing Ryan Mallett out of Arkansas.
Picks 8-10 after the jump.
22
Nov
2010
Vince Young throws tantrum after loss to ‘Skins, out as Titans starter
(Photo: Getty Images via Zimbio)
Nobody has ever claimed that Vince Young is the brightest bulb in the box (his Wonderlic score took care of that forever). But there had been hope – at least in Tennessee – in recent years that he had matured to a point where he could handle the role of NFL Quarterback. Well yesterday, Young showed the world that he is still as immature as ever, throwing a temper tantrum after Tennesee’s OT loss to the Redskins. According to reports, Young has lost his starting job with the Titans, and may have permanently damaged his relationship with head coach Jeff Fisher.
The story goes something like this: Young hurt his right thumb in the 3rd quarter of the game, and was replaced by rookie QB Rusty Smith. Apparently Young thought he could return to the game and was seen taking snaps on the sideline during the 4th quarter. Afterwards, Young – who had been booed during the game by the home fans – threw his shoulder pads and jersey into the stands and returned to the locker room. And that, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, is when things got good:
According to sources, Young was talking under his breath, uttering expletives, as Fisher prepared to address the team. When Fisher told him to keep quiet, Young finished dressing and started to leave. Fisher told Young to stop, saying not to “run out on your teammates.”
Young then told Fisher “I’m not running out on my teammates, I’m running out on you,’’ sources said. More words were exchanged and Young left.
3
Nov
2010
Titans Claim Randy Moss After 21 Other Teams Pass
(Photo via Yahoo!)
The Tennessee Titans claimed Randy Moss off of waivers on Wednesday, and were the only team to put in a claim for the unruly WR after the Vikings officially released him yesterday. Tennessee was 22nd in the waiver order, which means that 21 other teams saw the same thing the Patriots and Vikings saw from Moss this season: a self-centered brat who simply can’t put the goals of a team ahead of his own childish ego.
But Jeff Fisher apparently thinks Moss can help his ball club, who are 5-3, and lost Kenny Britt for an undetermined time to a hamstring injury last weekend. The Titans have a bye this week, but hope Moss will give Vince Young another weapon on offense for their run at the playoffs. And All-Pro RB Chris Johnson certainly believes Moss’ presence will help his chances on the ground:
“Why do we need Randy Moss?” Johnson said Wednesday, before the move was announced. “You can’t put eight in a box if you got Randy Moss out there on the outside. If you’ve got Randy Moss out there, you just can’t play him one-on-one. I feel like Randy would be a great addition to this team, be a great addition to our receiving group and really help us go deep in the playoffs.”
That, of course, is assuming that Moss decides to actually run his routes full speed and play until the whistle. When he does that, Randy is an undeniable talent … the problem is, he only seems to really make an effort when it’s beneficial for himself, personally. And if Moss isn’t feeling it, he half-asses it, and makes sure the rest of the team knows about it. So far this season, Randy clearly hasn’t been feeling it.
But Jeff Fisher runs a tight ship and has a strong personality, so he should be able to handle Moss’ ego. At least for a few weeks, I mean. Think about this: the Titans become Moss’s third team in less than half a season. It’s pretty clear he’s going for some kind of demented record here. How many teams do you think he can he tear through in 17 weeks?!? We’ll set the over/under at 5.
13
Jun
2010
VIDEO: Vince Young gets into a strip club brawl
Ah, good ol’ Vince Young. Just when the NFL hadn’t seen any notable off-field incidents for a few weeks, Vince comes along and reminds us what the off-season is really about: strip club altercations. And this time, there’s video!
The Titans quarterback was issued a Class-C assault citation following a fight inside a Dallas-area strip club early Sunday morning. Video of the incident (above) shows Young in a back office talking to a manager. At about the :45 mark, another man (seated) who was identified at Creiton Kinchen, 45, makes a derogatory “Horns down” hand sign in reference to Young’s alma mater Texas Longhorns. Jawing ensues and about a minute later, Young bursts back into the room, and the fists start-a-flyin’!
The league has said that they “will look into” the situation, but Kinchen suffered only a bloody lip and didn’t require medical attention, so ultimately this shouldn’t be a huge issue with the law. But for Young, who has had his problems in the past and needs to show growth as both a person and leader, it definitely doesn’t look good.
29
Nov
2009
VIDEO: Vince Young defeats Matt Leinart once again
In the most exciting ball game of the afternoon, Vince Young delivered the Tennessee Titans a victory over Matt Leinart (starting in place of an injured Kurt Warner) and the Arizona Cardinals. Young led the Titans on an impressive 18-play, 99-yd drive to score the go-ahead TD. The drive ended with this last-second 10-yd strike to rookie Kenny Britt:
You may recall Young’s last-minute Rose Bowl-winning drive against Leinart when the two were in college at Texas and USC, respectively. That ending looked a little something like this:
So, I guess you could say that Jeff Fisher’s decision to bench Kerry Collins in favor of Vince Young was a good one, huh?
CONTINUE AFTER THE JUMP FOR COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME-WINNING DRIVE
10
Aug
2009
NFL Football is BACK … well, sort of
I’ll be honest, I didn’t watch much of the Hall of Fame Game yesterday. After spending most of Saturday watching the induction ceremonies from Canton (and learning more about Ralph Wilson Jr than I ever could have dreamed), I needed to get out of the house for a bit yesterday.
But in the the few moments of the Bills/Titans contest I did catch, it was just nice to see pro football being played again, if only in a half-assed manner for a quarter or so. And in the end, this game did provide a few moments worth nothing.
- The above play by back-up Titans’ Punter AJ Trapasso is the greatest fake punt these eyes have ever seen. The misdirection, the behind-the-back ball fake, the white guy display of breakaway downfield speed … simply incredible!
- Terrell Owens caught 2 balls for 27 yards from Trent Edwards. Yippee. Of his new environment in Buffalo, Owens had this to say: “It doesn’t matter what uniform I’m wearing. I could be in a paper bag and I could make it happen,” said Owens, breaking out in a huge smile. “You can write it now — pull out a marker and write an ’81′ on a paper bag, and I’ll make it happen.” [via NFL Fanhouse]
- Vince Young still has a little ways to go. After taking over for Kerry Collins at the start of the 2nd Quarter, Young went 1-for-5 for 13 yards in his first three series, tossing a badly thrown interception out of the shotgun and mishandling another shotgun snap. He settled down to go 5-10 for 39 yds with 1 TD, but it’s still a far cry from the recent prediction he made for his career in Esquire magazine:
“I don’t know when I’ll start again,” he told Esquire. “But I will be the next black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. And I will be in the Hall of Fame.”
OK Vince … whatever you say.
It sure is going to be sad to see a 50-year old Vince Young loitering around the Hall Of Fame with a self-made bust and jacket, harassing voters and trying to convince visitors that he’s a member. Awkward!
“I don’t know when I’ll start again,” he told Esquire. “But I will be the next black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. And I will be in the Hall of Fame.”"I don’t know when I’ll start again,” he told Esquire. “But I will be the next black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. And I will be in the Hall of Fame.”
3
Jun
2009
Vince Young is not a bright man
Vince Young is ready to play ball
We already know that Titans’ QB Vince Young is not an intelligent person. He got a whopping 6 on his Wonderlic test, almost quit the game after his rookie year, had a mental breakdown last season after being injured, and has a habit of going out clubbing and acting like a jackass.
So why he insists on talking to the press is a complete mystery to me. Doesn’t this guy have a PR advisor by now? Apparently not, because Vince had an awful lot to say in a recent interview with WMAR-TV in Baltimore:
“I definitely want to get back out there playing ball and picking up where I left off, winning games and having a good time with my teammates and with the fans,” Young said, according to the television station. “At the same time, if them guys don’t want me to be in there, it’s time for me to make a career change for myself. Because the fact is I’m ready to play ball. If they’re not ready for me to play ball, then somebody is.”
To some, this might sound like a fiery, self-confident athlete setting goals for himself, and showing his passion for the game. However, this is Vince Young we’re talking about here.
And this most recent statement is in stark contrast to what Vince had to say in an interview with The Tennessean, just over a month ago:
“I am just going to keep my mouth closed, man. All I am doing this year is shutting up, just shutting up and working,” Young said. “I am going to smile and shut up and continue being Vince Young, a happy smiling guy. I am not going to get into the hoopla any more because of the fact I can’t win any more, I see.
“I am just going to shut my mouth and play my role and if they need me then I will be available as a weapon.”
So much for keeping his mouth shut. huh?
Young is a million-dollar athlete with a ten-cent head … not exactly the type of guy you want leading your troops into battle. And he’s certainly not in a position of leverage where he can demand to start anywhere in the NFL, let alone in Tennessee. The Titans did just fine without him last season, and his distractions have become tiresome. I bet Nelly filled Young’s head with all these ideas.
If they’re smart, the Titans will use this as an opportunity to trade Young to a team that’s more desperate than they are for a QB.
And while we’re on the subject, Shutdown Corner takes a look at the 5 most interesting starting quarterback battles in the NFL
26
May
2009
Vince Young Makes It Lightly Sprinkle
WARNING- Turn down the volume on this video before playing
TMZ is quickly becoming the official news source of the NFL, but I suppose when you’re dealing with emotionally sound characters like Jeremy Shockey and Vince Young, that somehow makes sense.
Here we have video (not from TMZ – their video kind of sucks ass) of Vince Young throwing cash off the stage at a recent Nelly concert in Houston. Recently, Young said that he was re-dedicating himself to the NFL, and working hard to beat out Kerry Collins as the Titans’ starting QB. So much for that, huh? And if you recall, the last time a member of the Titans decided to make it rain, it didn’t end too well. Way to think it through, Vince.
And hey, remember when Nelly used to wear those band aids on his face? That was awesome.
21
Apr
2009
Wonderlic Scores Are Out. Everyone beat Vince Young’s score.
Vince Young with his Wonderlic Tutor (Photo: Deadspin)
Pro Football Weekly has gotten a hold of the Wonderlic scores for this year’s NFL draft prospects. For the unfamiliar, “The is a 12-minute, 50-question test commonly given to NFL prospects as a measure of intelligence, designed to test learning and problem-solving skills.” Wikipedia has an interesting breakdown of average scores by position and other careers.
So basically, it’s an intelligence test for football players. And let’s face it, football ain’t exactly brain surgery. There have been heaps of players over the years who can’t form sentences and have the common sense of a doorknob, but are great football players.
So, it seems teams are caring less and less about these Wonderlic scores:
“We look at three gauges of intelligence,” one team executive said. “One, (a player’s) score; two, whether his coaches say he needs reps (to learn); and three, whether intelligence issues show up on tape — how often does (a player) need to be lined up, how often does he appear confused. If he is football-smart or his coaches say he learns well, the Wonderlic score is disregarded. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to play football.”
True to form, many great players through the years have had better football intelligence than book smarts, as Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino reportedly scored a 16 on the Wonderlic, Terry Bradshaw 15 and potential Hall of Famer Donovan McNabb 14.
Still, you have to believe that if it comes down to two players who are equal in every other way, you’d prefer to have the guy with a better head on his shoulders. Especially at QB, OL, LB or S. Vince Young famously scored a 6 on the Wonderlic, and we’ve seen how well that’s turned out.
WR Percy Harvin - at least he scored higher than his number
A few standouts from the 2009 draft class (scores are on a scale of 50):
- Matt Stafford, QB Georgia – 35
- Mark Sanchez, QB USC – 28
- Knowshawn Moreno, RB Georgia – 13
- Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB Ohio St – 22
- Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech – 15
- Percy Harvin, WR Florida – 12
- Jeremy Maclin, WR Missouri – 25
- Jason Smith, OT Baylor – 23
- BJ Raji, DT Boston College – 19
- Aaron Curry, LB Wake Forest – 26
- Rey Maualuga, LB USC – 15
Oh, and in case you’re interested, you can take a sample Wonderlic Test, to see how you’d compare.
