It’s not surprising that Desmond Ridder shot up draft boards after leading Cincinnati to the first-ever college football playoff appearance for a Group of 5 team in the 2021 season. While he became a national name in his final season at Cincinnati, the truth is that he was a star during his entire four-year stay for the Bearcats.
Ridder started all four seasons while in Cincinnati, and put up big numbers all four seasons, though his senior campaign was easily his best. From 2018 to 2020 Ridder threw for at least 2,100 yards in each season and threw for a combined 57 touchdowns and only 20 interceptions. In 2021, his numbers exploded as he tossed 30 touchdowns to 8 interceptions while throwing for 3,334 yards.
Prior to the 2022 NFL draft, Wonderlic scores leaked for top quarterback prospects, and it was reported that Ridder scored a 19 on the Wonderlic test. This was about middle of the pack for the top QB prospects. More on that below.
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More on Desmond Ridder’s Wonderlic Score
The debate has raged for years about the importance of the Wonderlic when assessing a player’s eventual performance. Ridder’s 19 might seem like a lower score, but plenty of successful quarterbacks have scored lower than that over the years. Check out some of the Wonderlic scores for the top QBs of all time and see for yourself.
Compared to his draft class, as mentioned above, Ridder is pretty middle of the pack.
- Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) – 35
- Sam Howell (North Carolina) – 34
- Malik Willis (Liberty) – 32
- Carson Strong (Nevada) – 22
- Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) – 17
- Matt Corral (Mississippi)– 15
What is the Wonderlic Test?
The Wonderlic Test is a well-known psychological assessment that measures cognitive ability and general intelligence. It was developed in the early 1900s by E.F. Wonderlic as a tool for employers to use to screen potential candidates for positions within their organizations.
Today, the Wonderlic test is administered as a multiple-choice questionnaire with 50 questions, and individuals are given 12 minutes to answer them all. Each correct answer earns one point, with a maximum possible score of 50 points.
The Wonderlic score that an individual receives on this test can give employers valuable insight into their cognitive abilities and their potential for success in certain roles or positions. While there has been some criticism of the test over the years due to its supposed cultural bias and predictive validity, it remains a widely used measure of cognitive ability in industries ranging from business and finance to sports and academia.