With only three days until the NFL draft in Nashville, the Wonderlic scores have been leaked. This time, it was famed Packers beat writer Bob McGinn who got his hands on the information that is supposed to remain private. I’ll never forget hearing Vince Young’s score (14) and wondering if it might hamper his status. It didn’t, but we continue to question Vince’s judgment all these years later.
The big “news” Monday was that our local hero Kyler Murray scored lowest among the quarterbacks. According to McGinn’s report, Murray produced a 20, which was 23 spots lower than North Carolina State quarterback Ryan Finley’s leading 43. I know the legendary Gil Brandt has always loved this measurement, but I think it’s basically on the verge of extinction. Given the annual leaks, I’m not sure why players choose to sit for this particular exam. Players such as Drew Henson and Blaine Gabbert have knocked it out of the park on the Wonderlic, but it didn’t translate to the field.
The good news for Cowboys fans, if you’re into this sort of thing, is that a player named Zach Allen who’s been projected as a potential choice at No. 58 finished with the second-highest score for a defensive lineman (36). The Boston College product has been extremely productive when it comes to tackles for loss and he’s capable of playing defensive end and tackle. For context, Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary and Georgia wide receiver Riley Ridley tied for last place with a pair of 9s. These players need to follow my lead when I declined Gil Brandt’s offer to take a Wonderlic test on the radio. I had a feeling Gil was going to stack the deck after he heard me boast that I would likely score in the 40s.
I think the Arizona Cardinals are doing everything in their power right now to create doubt about Murray in hopes that someone will give them something of value for Josh Rosen. I’m not saying they leaked Murray’s scores, but they don’t mind some of the doubt that’s been created regarding the No. 1 overall pick. CBS’s Pete Prisco reported Monday the Cardinals are leaning toward keeping Rosen. And while Pete’s a longtime friend of mine, I think he’s being fed a line of bull on this topic.
Now, let’s settle down and take a look at what the Cowboys may be thinking in the second and third rounds. Allen’s a decent possibility, as draft guru John Owning has suggested. But I do think the Cowboys are hoping a safety such as Florida’s Chauncey Gardner-Johnson or Maryland’s Darnell Savage is sitting there at No. 58. I know some Aggies are excited about Jace Sternberger, but his lack of blocking skills would likely prevent the Cowboys from taking him with their first pick.
There’s a wide receiver named Jalen Hurd who could go somewhere between the Cowboys’ second- and third-round picks. If the Baylor running back-turned-receiver is there at No. 90, the Cowboys could have an interest. He’s made a visit to The Star, and the Cowboys really like his physical style. Hurd was a star running back at Tennessee before deciding he wanted to transfer and play a different position. Coaches at both Tennessee and Baylor have talked about Hurd’s “elite work ethic” and size (6-5, 226 pounds).
“He has a competitive nature and elite mentality,” said Baylor coach Matt Rhule via text last week. “And he’s faster than the [40 time] because he hasn’t been able to get healthy enough yet.”
Hurd ran a 4.6 at Baylor’s pro day, but scouts tend to agree with Rhule that he’s faster than that number. He’s been compared to Anquan Boldin, who fell in the draft due to a slow 40-time and then had a remarkable career. Though he fully committed to becoming a wide receiver at Baylor, the Bears still lined him up at tailback at times. He has the type of position flexibility that coaches and scouts crave. The best-case scenario for the Cowboys is landing Hurd in the fourth round after landing a safety with either the No. 58 or 90 pick.
For more than a decade, your humble columnist has been successfully nailing the first pick for the Cowboys. I will make no such promises it will happen with pick 58. But know that Allen and Hurd are definitely in the mix in rounds 2-4. And I’ve eliminated Sternberger from the competition. It has nothing to do with his Wonderlic score. (I still like my chances if Gil’s not administering the exam).
