Following a phenomenal rookie campaign by C.J. Stroud, his agency, Athletes First, is making an uncharacteristic decision in advising all of the players they represent ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft not to take the cognitive exam. This is just anoter example in how the NFL Combine has less credibility than it once did.
The news comes just years after many players and coaches complained that certain intangibles such as hand size and height are becoming less important in today’s game compared to the past when certain mesuraments were almost considered a prerequisite to even make it in the league. In a league where QB’s used to have to be at least 6’4″ and have a certain hand size, in today’s league, there are starters such as a Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray who are both under six feet tall.
Stroud Proved all the Doubters Wrong
Despite an excellent college career and showing off all the skills he needed to be a successful player in the NFL, he scored an 18 out of 100 on the cognitive test, a test the essentially lets a team know how a player would perform when dealing with an actual NFL game.
Following the bad score, Stroud released the following statement:
“I’m not a test-taker. I play football,” Stroud said in the wake of all the criticism…At the end of the day, I don’t got nothing to prove to nobody, so I’m not going to sit here and explain how I process football. The people who are making the picks know what I can do, so that’s all that matters to me.”
Despite the bad score, the Texans still took a chance on Stroud this past year and it paid off with their first NFL Playoff appearance since 2019 and a Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for the young quarterback.
Modern Coverage Dillutes the NFL Combine
There was a time when only 15-20 games were easily accessible every single week. This meant that for many players and for NFL Scouts, the best time to get a real read on a player was during the NFL Combine and with workouts before the NFL Draft. Many players will also graded on their intangibles because it showed their potential in a world where there was limited real game film to look at.
Those times have passed. Just about every FBS team was featured either on linear TV or through streaming via ESPN+ just about every week. as well as many FCS games that were almost impossible to view. In many ways, this dilutes the readings that a player can get at the combine. Additionally, it’s well known that practice is different than games. Zach Wilson had one of the best Pro Days the NFL has ever seen, likely moving him up in the NFL Draft, yet look where his career has taken him so far.
Conclusion
This isn’t to say that the NFL Combine is going anywhere, or that it isn’t worth anything. It just means less, and with agencies now telling their prospects to no longer take the cognitive exam, its showing how much power players now have with just their college highlights alone.