Watch: C.J. Stroud laughs off cognitive test concerns
Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud laughed off concerns over his reported low cognitive test scores on Wednesday, saying that he didn't have anything to prove to anybody. Stroud is one of the top prospects in this year's draft class and could be a top-10 (if not top-five) overall pick on Thursday night.
It was reported last week that Stroud scored in the 18th percentile on the S2 cognition test, which is far below the benchmark of 80. Presumptive first overall pick Bryce Young scored in the 98th percentile, while Will Levis scored in the 93rd percentile and Anthony Richardson scored in the 79th percentile.
Longtime NFL Draft reporter Bob McGinn revealed the quarterbacks scores last week.
While the well-known Wonderlic test asks subjects to answer 50 questions to test their potential job performance in the NFL, the S2 is different. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the S2 is a 40-45 minute test on a specially designed laptop and notepad that records reactions in two milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye (100-150 milliseconds).
Barrows added that a trio of current NFL superstar quarterbacks in Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes all scored well on the S2 test. Burrow was the highest of the group in the 97th percentile, while both Allen and Mahomes were in the 90th percentile.
So, while Stroud may not be concerned about his low score, the exam has apparently been a good indicator of future success in at least a few very notable cases.
Per McGinn, he was also told by an NFL executive that the former Buckeyes quarterback's low score is like "red alert, red alert, you can't take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust."
The third-place Heisman finisher in 2022 recorded 85 passing touchdowns in two seasons as Ohio State's starter and won back-to-back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards.
More must-reads: