INDIANAPOLIS -- We have an answer to one of the most buzzed-about questions of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett's hand measured 8 1/2 inches on Thursday, per NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah. That's tied for the third-smallest hand measurement for any QB at the combine since 2003, and well below the nine-inch mark that is generally considered to be adequate for NFL passers. The only QBs to start a game in 2021 with a hand that measured less than nine inches at the combine were Brandon Allen and Jake Fromm (both 8 7/8 inches).
The intrigue around Pickett's hand size has picked up steam in recent weeks, as he declined to have his hand measured at the Reese's Senior Bowl in January due to a double-jointed thumb. The former Panthers star revealed on Wednesday that he had been doing exercises in an effort to improve his measurement, but downplayed the conversation, saying "whatever it measures, it measures."
Quarterback hand size becomes a hot topic every year at the combine, with some scouts expressing concern about ball security for passers with hands on the small side, especially when battling the elements in rainy and/or cold conditions.
Joe Burrow made light of the discussion about hand size at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, when his hand measured nine inches (tied for the smallest hand size for a QB drafted in the first round since 2003). If Pickett needs any inspiration, having hands on the small side certainly hasn't deterred Burrow from success in the pros. Ryan Tannehill and Jared Goff also posted a nine-inch hand measurement at the combine.
Pickett led Pitt to an ACC title in his breakthrough 2021 season, throwing for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jeremiah rates him as the No. 28 prospect in the draft, and wrote that he has no concerns about Pickett's hand size or history of wearing a glove on his throwing hand.
