The 15 Smartest NFL Players in 2014

By RantSports Staff

15 Smartest NFL Players in 2014

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos — While there is still the stereotype of the dumb football player, many NFL players have managed to prove their intellectual might. Through the Wonderlic test, some stars have shown genius-level intellects and, while that doesn't necessarily translate to success, it's never a bad thing. When it comes to brain power, these are the players who stand above all others.

15. Toby Gerhart

Toby Gerhart

15. Toby Gerhart

Toby Gerhart — Let’s make this short and sweet: Toby Gerhart scored a 30 on the Wonderlic and he also went to Stanford. Pretty impressive.

14. Blaine Gabbert

Blaine Gabbert

14. Blaine Gabbert

Blaine Gabbert — Blaine Gabbert scored a 42 on the Wonderlic. According to our calculations, that is really freaking high. Unfortunately, he has not seen a great amount of success on the field.

13. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson

13. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson — Russell Wilson may not be at Tom Brady's status, but the decisions he makes on a football field proves how smart he is. Plus, a 28 on the Wonderlic isn’t too shabby. Needless to say, Wilson’s brain gives him one heck of an edge out on the football field.

12. Drew Brees

Drew Brees

12. Drew Brees

Drew Brees — Yet another brilliant quarterback. A 28 Wonderlic score isn’t the best ever, but Brees has still managed to have an amazing career regardless. What this man does to opposing defenses is out of this world. Although that can be credited to so many different things, his brain definitely comes into the equation.

11. Tom Brady

Tom Brady

11. Tom Brady

Tom Brady — Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. What this man has done on the football field is complete genius. For what it’s worth, he also scored a 33 on the Wonderlic.

10. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

10. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers — As expected, quarterbacks are typically some of the smartest players in the league, and Rodgers is no exception. On the Wonderlic, he scored a 35 (out of 50), which is well above the quarterback average of 24 (according to a study by Best Masters Degrees). In addition to his book smarts, Rodgers has shown excellent judgement both on and off the field, further solidifying his place amongst the league's brightest stars.

9. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts

9. Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck Indianapolis Colts — It shouldn't be a surprise that Luck is one of the smarter guys in the league, considering how quickly he developed. He scored a 37 on the Wonderlic and has a degree from Stanford University in Architectural Design. He adapted quickly as a rookie, proving that his intellect extends from the classroom to the football field.

8. Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions

8. Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions — While the trend suggests that quarterbacks are getting smarter, the opposite seems true for wide receivers. The average Wonderlic score for a receiver is 17, which is the equivalent to that of a security worker (according to the Best Masters Degrees survey), but Johnson is the big exception. He scored a 41 on the test, and there may not be a receiver with a higher football IQ.

7. Bryan Walters

Bryan Walters Seattle Seahawks

7. Bryan Walters

Bryan Walters Seattle Seahawks — If you've never heard of Walters, you're not alone. He's a little-known receiver for Seattle, whose playing time has been limited and sporadic. The important thing about Walters is that he's seriously smart. As a senior at Cornell, he was elected to the Sphinx Head Society, one of the oldest and most respected college societies.

6. Nick Mangold

Nick Mangold New York Jets

6. Nick Mangold

Nick Mangold New York Jets — Centers have long been considered some of the smarter guys in the huddle. Mangold may be the smartest center in the game, as he scored a 35 on the Wonderlic (ten points higher than the average center) which is higher than the average systems analyst (32). Mangold has never been known for his dominating physical ability, but he understands the game better than most and uses that knowledge to his advantage.

5. Desmond Bryant

Desmond Bryant Cleveland Browns

5. Desmond Bryant

Desmond Bryant Cleveland Browns — Yes, he got arrested, but smart has never been synonymous with perfect. Bryant was awarded an academic scholarship to attend Harvard. As expected, players from Harvard tend to be some of the smartest out there, but he was only the 29th from the school to make it to the NFL.

4. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos

4. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos — This may come as a surprise, but Peyton Manning did not blow anyone away on the Wonderlic. He scored a slightly-above-average 28. To put that in perspective, Eli Manning scored a 39 and Ryan Leaf scored a 27. It's his game planning and football IQ that make Peyton Manning one of the smartest guys in the league, not his book smarts.

3. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Kansas City Chiefs

3. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Kansas City Chiefs — Before his last season in San Francisco, fans might be surprised to hear that Smith is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league. But since his turnaround, it makes sense. He scored a 42 on the Wonderlic and has shown tremendous decision-making skills as the starter for the Kansas City Chiefs. He doesn't make mistakes on the field, which is a result of his sky-high IQ.

2. Benjamin Watson

Benjamin Watson New Orleans Saints

2. Benjamin Watson

Benjamin Watson New Orleans Saints — Watson's heyday may be long gone, but that doesn't mean his brain function has diminished at all. He scored a 48 on the Wonderlic (the average for a tight end is 22) and is rumored to have an IQ of 172. He began his college career at Duke before transferring to Georgia and was a Finance major. It's scary to think about a monstrously-sized business genius.

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick Tennessee Titans

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick Tennessee Titans — With his 48 Wonderlic score, Fitzpatrick is one of the smartest quarterbacks in history. As an Economics major at Harvard, he was the 2004 MVP of the Ivy League. He also managed to score nearly perfect on the SAT with a 1580. His intellect hasn't translated to much football success yet, but a smart quarterback is never a bad thing.

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