LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne was heavily ridiculed Tuesday when it was leaked that he scored a 4 on the Wonderlic cognitive test administered to NFL prospects at the scouting combine. Claiborne’s four was the lowest known score since 2000, according to ESPN, and seemingly the lowest score by a notable prospect since Vince Young’s 6.
How much does Claiborne’s reported 4 matter? Not much. He’s a cornerback, not a quarterback, so as long as he can shut down receivers (which he did at LSU), that’s the most important factor. He’s still expected to be a top-five draft pick, as he should be.
But here’s another important point: Greg Gabriel of National Football Post says Claiborne has a learning disability that relates to his ability to read. Gabriel also believes the score was leaked by a team hoping to scare franchises drafting ahead of them from selecting Claiborne so that they can. If that’s the case, it’s a pretty crappy way of going about things.
A few years ago we talked about Hakeem Nicks bombing the Wonderlic, and he’s become one of the top wide receivers in football. The test may have some meaning, but scoring poorly on it doesn’t preclude a player from becoming great. It seems its largest significance is providing the media and fans with fodder to mock those who score poorly each season, even if it’s due to disabilities.
Oh, and Russell Shepard, if you’re going to defend your friend for a poor score, at least learn how to spell “congratulations” properly.
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