Overview
- Athletes First, a prominent sports agency, directs its NFL Draft prospects to avoid cognitive tests, citing negative experiences and confidentiality concerns.
- The decision is a response to the leak of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's low S2 cognition test scores before the 2023 NFL Draft.
- Despite scoring in the 18th percentile on the S2 test, Stroud had a historic rookie season, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading the Texans to the playoffs.
- The S2 test, which measures cognitive ability and processing speed, has been used by NFL teams since 2016 but faces scrutiny over its impact and confidentiality.
- Other agencies have not issued similar directives, and the S2 test's future in the NFL Draft process remains uncertain.