S2 Cognitive test points to NFL Success

[Ricky Spanish]

2 hours ago, Wundrbread33 said:

So is this a reaction time test to visual stimuli? 
 

If so, were the subjects tested multiple times on different days or just once?

You really need an average score over many testing sessions to gauge each subjects performance. 
 

However a test calculating speed while making the correct decision with multiple stimuli in play is a hell of a lot better and relevant than a wonderlic.

From the Article:

Quote

Ally and his partner, Scott Wylie, have tested more than 40,000 athletes, from big-league batsmen to pro golfers, and the company has contracts with 14 NFL teams. The group already has been testing players at college all-star games during the current draft cycle and will do more testing at next week’s combine in Indianapolis. By the time the draft begins in April, S2 will have scores for more than 800 prospects.

“The GMs have become so interested in the data that we start testing as soon as these kids declare,” Ally said.

The exam lasts 40 to 45 minutes. It’s performed on a specially designed gaming laptop and response pad that can record reactions in two milliseconds. To put that in perspective, an eye blink lasts 100 to 150 milliseconds.

In one section of the exam, a series of diamonds flash on the screen for 16 milliseconds each. Every diamond is missing a point, and the test taker must determine — using left, right, up or down keys — which part is missing.

In another, the test seeks to find out how many objects an athlete can keep track of at the same time. In another, there are 22 figures on the screen and the athlete must locate a specific one as quickly as possible. The object might be a red triangle embedded in other shapes that are also red.

“We’re talking about things they have to perceive on the screen within 16/1,000th of a second, which is essentially subliminal and which scientific literature says you shouldn’t be able to process,” Ally said. “And I’ll be honest with you, we’re seeing pro baseball players see something way faster than 16 milliseconds, which has never been reported in literature, all the way to some athletes who may take 150 milliseconds. So our eyes may see the same thing. But for some, it takes longer to process than others.”

Quote

The highest S2 score in last year’s draft class, in fact, was turned in by a cornerback, Trent McDuffie, who started 15 games for the Chiefs, including the Super Bowl.

Purdy’s score wasn’t too far behind. According to Ally, the 49ers quarterback did particularly well in three areas. One of them was spatial awareness, which translates in several aspects of the game, including how well a quarterback can assess a defense before the snap.

Another area in which Purdy excelled was distraction control.

“Those are the guys — and Drew Brees was one of those — who, the pocket, the world could be collapsing around them and they can just maintain that steely focus on what they’re supposed to be doing,” Ally said.

Finally, Purdy was especially impressive when it came to depth perception speed.

“He was in some pretty elite company,” Ally said. “I mean, he was in the high 90s on that.”

 

So it's 45 minutes, it has a bunch of different sections and it has various different tests that measure many different things.

[Wundrbread33]

35 minutes ago, Ricky Spanish said:

From the Article:

 

So it's 45 minutes, it has a bunch of different sections and it has various different tests that measure many different things.

Wonder how good Purdy is at Fortnite.

 

That aside I think it’s incomplete if it’s just a one off test. Probably not an oversight, as doing a 45 minute test 5-10 times is quite the demand for the participants.

 

Very interesting though and thanks for sharing. First thing that popped in my head were those vision reaction tests during eye exams.

[BrianS]

It's just another piece of data that helps you complete the picture.  For instance, if you've got a guy who played in a one read system in college, you could look at his score and perhaps project whether he might be able to do full field reads.  It makes sense.

Especially at QB.  That's the position where a lot of guys have the physical tools, but not very many of them have the tools above the shoulders.

[Brooklyn 3.0]

Looking forward to the first person to try and discredit this test for whatever reason.

[Khyber53]

I've been pounding on the table over the years that the biggest success factor in a QB is processor speed rather than physical size, speed or arm strength. But I had no idea that anyone had developed a real way to measure it. This is pretty cool and could change a lot of drafting info.

I wonder how it changes over time for players, too, especially after taking all the hits (or delivering them). Could this also be a predictor for  brain and nerve damage over time?

I hope we'll hear more about this and I wonder if during the interviews portion of the Combine if our guys will be asking if the player would be willing to release their score to them... 

[Mr. Scot]

2 hours ago, CarolinaRideorDie said:

I think it's ridiculous to keep these scores private. I hate standardized testing but what's the difference when colleges ask for SAT/ACT scores? Or med school/law school not accepting you because of low scores? It's all to judge your "intelligence." Fair or not fair, it's how the process works. 

I get that, but to be fair Joe the Shock Jock on the afternoon drive show probably doesn't care about some college kid's SAT scores.

Anything sports talk guys can use to bash a player they don't like can and will be used against them in the Court of Public Opinion.

[thunderraiden]

2 hours ago, glenwo2 said:

This was exactly my thought.   lol

Then again, maybe he scores well?

His problem wasn't knowledge...it was Processing SPEED. 

If Darnold scores well the system is garbage and I never want to see it used again.

[SmokinwithWilly]

18 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

I've been pounding on the table over the years that the biggest success factor in a QB is processor speed rather than physical size, speed or arm strength. But I had no idea that anyone had developed a real way to measure it. This is pretty cool and could change a lot of drafting info.

I wonder how it changes over time for players, too, especially after taking all the hits (or delivering them). Could this also be a predictor for  brain and nerve damage over time?

I hope we'll hear more about this and I wonder if during the interviews portion of the Combine if our guys will be asking if the player would be willing to release their score to them... 

I've mentioned something like this a few times and wished they had a way to test it. I didn't know it already existed and was being used. 

I would think it could absolutely be used in concussion evaluation. Cognitive processing is affected and having a before and after score every season could lead to being able to monitor the effects and when it's time to really pull the plug on a player for their own long term health i.e. Tua.

[Tbe]

This will be a great tool until players figure out how to prepare for it and juice their scores.

 

 

[RJK]

U know darnold has to be last in this. 

[glenwo2]

32 minutes ago, thunderraiden said:

If Darnold scores well the system is garbage and I never want to see it used again.

LOL.

[glenwo2]

10 minutes ago, RJK said:

U know darnold has to be last in this. 

In theory but thunderraiden may be onto something.......

[Tbe]

Interesting…

“We’ve been doing the NFL draft for seven years,” Ally said. “From an S2 Cognitive perspective, last year was the worst year we’ve ever had score-wise. And this year is by far and away the best we’ve ever had, score-wise, at the quarterback position.”

Last year, only one QB scored as well as Purdy. I wonder who it was. Doubt it was Corral.

[LinvilleGorge]

I think a lot of folks are getting waaaaaaay ahead of themselves penciling Purdy in as a long-term starting NFL QB.