The annual NFL Draft will take place again in April. A player agency advises its clients not to take part in cognitive tests beforehand – for a specific reason

Before the NFL teams select the best talents in the draft at the end of April, they have to pass a variety of tests – both physical and mental. One of the player agencies has now apparently instructed its clients to skip cognitive tests.

The Athletic reports that the agency in question sent an email to the NFL teams in January to inform them of this. “After much internal discussion, Athletes First agents have instructed our draft candidates to respectfully refrain from participating in cognitive or psychological testing during the pre-draft process,” the email reads.

“We understand that many of your teams use these tests or protocols as part of your evaluation process for potential players, but our recent experience with these tests has not been positive.”

He continued: “In particular, the fact that certain results and performances were made public last year shows that there really is no confidentiality in these tests. It’s not right for a player’s intelligence, aptitude or mental processing to be discussed and ridiculed in public – no other job interview is looked at so closely. “

While their clients “are happy to participate in the usual pre-draft physical tests and football-related interviews or film sessions, we will not subject them to the multiple psychological tests. “

Stroud is said to have performed poorly

The background: Athletes First is the agency of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Offensive Rookie of the Year reportedly performed extremely poorly on the S2 cognitive test last year. The reported result then probably caused some experts to be cautious about the playmaker.

Nevertheless, Brandon Ally, one of the co-founders of the test in which Stroud is said to have performed so poorly, attempted to refute the reports. He explained on the “Pat McAfee Show” that the leaked results were “not at all accurate”.

Incidentally, the test evaluates nine different segments. These include the quarterback’s ability to track multiple objects. In addition, the making of complex decisions and if-then scenarios with different defensive formations