How important is intelligence? Or rather, performance on the intelligence test the Wonderlic? It might not matter much (Dan Marino scored a 15, Matt Leinart a 35), but the test is still given, and NFL teams still put some sort of stock into it. How much is debatable, but every year the scores get out and are discussed.
Looks like Johnny Manziel is tops in that regard among this year's top quarterback prospects. Manziel scored a 32, higher than Blake Bortles (28) and Teddy Bridgewater (20). So if you want to believe this makes Manziel more coachable or more likely to be able to learn an NFL offense and/or study opposing defenses, there you go.
Do the Texans believe that? They've got the top pick in the draft, and there's a lot of sentiment they'll take a quarterback in that spot. (Although South Carolina pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney is also a strong possibility.)
This link presents some memorable Wonderlic scores throughout the years. Certainly, a lot of successful NFL quarterbacks did pretty well on the thing, including Andrew Luck (37) and Aaron Rodgers (35). But Blaine Gabbert (42) also aced it, so....
Ultimately, maybe the test matters little with quarterbacks who have all the physical tools (Marino 15, Terry Bradshaw 16) and can help with guys who are less dominant athletically (Alex Smith 40, Eli Manning 39). It's tough to say it makes Manziel any more likely to succeed than Bortles or Bridgewater.
--Andy Richardson