NFL Pairs New Aptitude Test With Wonderlic at Scouting Combine

Feb 02, 2013; New Orleans, LA USA; Rashad Thornton Sr., of New Orleans, jumps into the air at the Under Armour scouting combine area inside the NFL Experience, pro football /

The NFL will be adding a new test to the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine that will go along with the infamous Wonderlic Test in an attempt to better gauge a player’s “non-physical capabilities, aptitudes and strengths,” the league announced today. The league worked with a university professor to put together a test that the players will not be able to study for.

They released more details about the new aptitude test in a memo that was gathered by NFL.com,

Here is the full memo from the league:

"At this year’s combine we will introduce a new and expanded player assessment tool designed to offer a much more robust and comprehensive assessment of a player’s non-physical capabilities, aptitudes, and strengths. This tool was developed by Harold Goldstein, Professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Baruch College, City University of NY. Professor Goldstein is an expert in industrial psychology who has designed employment tests in a variety of other industries and has worked closely with Cyrus Mehri of the Fritz Pollard Alliance.The assessment tool being introduced at the Combine is not intended to displace anything currently in use or substitute for other tests that are given either at the Combine or by the clubs themselves. Rather, this new test measures a wide range of competencies, including learning styles, motivation, decision-making skills, responding to pressure or unexpected stimuli, and core intellect. It was developed after detailed discussions with current and former league executives, including Ernie Accorsi, Thomas Dimitroff, John Elway, and Jerry Reese, and was reviewed by members of the general managers Advisory Committee.This is an exciting innovation that brings updated best practices from corporate America to the NFL football operations. By giving clubs new and more relevant information, it offers additional information to supplement your decision-making in the draft. One of the most interesting aspects is that new information on player learning styles can potentially help our coaches’ work more effectively with young players.We look forward to reviewing and receiving your feedback later this year and incorporating it into future versions of this assessment tool."

Be sure to tune in to FanSided.com during the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine for news and info on some of the best performers in Indianapolis.

Home/NFL