SANTA CLARA
Nick Bellore went undrafted in 2011, but he was Top 10 in terms of intelligence.
The 49ers’ inside linebacker scored 36 on his Wonderlic aptitude test in the run-up to that year’s draft, one of the highest marks of the 330 players who took it that season. (Teammates Colin Kaepernick and Christian Ponder scored a 38 and 35, respectively).
Bellore’s brains helped win him a roster spot with the New York Jets that year and made an impression on his head coach at the time, Rex Ryan.
“He’s one of the smartest guys in the league,” said Ryan, who coached Bellore for four seasons.