Bryce Young continues to make a case that he should be the first quarterback off the board this year. According to Daniel Jeremiah, Young had the highest score on the S2 Cognition test, which aims to measure how quickly a player processes information. The test has been used in baseball for awhile, since hitters need to decide whether or not to swing at a pitch incredibly quickly, but according to NFL experts it’s becoming a popular test for quarterbacks, too.
“It’ll be like six shapes pop up and one’s different,” Jeremiah said on the “Around the NFL” podcast. “How quickly can you identify the one that’s different? How quick can you process information?”
Word from last year’s class was that scores were down overall, with Brock Purdy scoring the highest of all the QBs. As it turns out, Purdy also played the best among all rookie QBs who took the field last year, despite being the last pick in the draft.
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Before Purdy, the last QB to earn buzz as a high performer was none other than Justin Fields. The Bears QB has been criticized for holding the ball too long and acting indecisively at times. There are certainly moments where Fields warranted that criticism, but other times it was his teammates letting him down with Fields taking the blame. The Bears have added weapons to Fields’ arsenal, like DJ Moore, and they’ve added some protection up front in Nate Davis. They’re expected to add even more in the upcoming draft. The idea is that with better playmakers and better protection, Fields will be able to play up to his ability. If not, the Bears will at least be able to put together a more complete evaluation of his game.
Other notable quarterbacks who have tested highly on the S2 Cognition test are Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes.
The NFL draft begins on Apr. 27.
