IQ tests aren’t blanket-banned; they just have additional hurdles. For instance, the Wonderlic test is routinely used in hiring contexts and is even part of the NFL scouting combine.
Often it is used as a red flag when a prospect scores particularly low on the test. NFL playbooks are complex and there is a lot to learn and then apply in real time on the field compared to in college. Players who cannot process all of this added complexity rapidly and then apply it are at risk of not being able to keep up on the field, even if they are incredible athletes. This holds the most weight with quarterbacks who have the most to juggle mentally throughout a game, so you most often hear conversations about the wonderlic when talking about the quarterback position.
There’s actually rumors of upper limits because smart guys are perceived as harder to coach. For playbook memorization and decision-making though, high Wonderlic scores are usually expected for offensive line and QB’s.
