It's NFL combine week, which means we get a highly coveted measurement from 2022 NFL draft prospects: hand size.
There seems to always be anticipation surrounding combine hand measurements, and this year is no different. Top quarterback prospect Kenny Pickett has the smallest hands among the quarterbacks at the combine, measuring at 8 1/2 inches. They are smaller than any other quarterback in the NFL.
How much does hand size matter? Well, it matters to the teams doing the drafting, though ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't think Pickett's hand size will affect his first-round status. Two years ago, in the lead-up to the 2020 draft, top prospect Joe Burrow joked on Twitter that he was "considering retirement after I was informed the football will be slipping out of my tiny hands." His hands are 9 inches. Pickett acknowledged the hand-size concerns last month at the Senior Bowl, but played it down.
The average hand size for the 39 quarterbacks taken in the first round from 2008 to 2020 is 9.7 inches, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The signal-caller with the largest hands of that group was Mark Sanchez in 2009 (10½), while the smallest is 9 inches by Burrow, Ryan Tannehill and Jared Goff. Taysom Hill, who did not participate in the 2017 combine, has the smallest hands of any current quarterback (8¾ inches), while Russell Wilson has the biggest (10¼).
Here are the hand sizes for the primary starting quarterbacks for every NFL team in 2021, according to NFL measurements and sorted from smallest to largest:
Hand size for 32 NFL starting QBs, from smallest to largest
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints: 8¾ inches
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: 9
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans: 9
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions: 9
Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders: 9⅛
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears: 9⅛
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns: 9¼
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos: 9¼
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: 9¼
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers: 9¼
Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders: 9¼
Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers: 9⅜
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9⅜
Zach Wilson, New York Jets: 9½
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: 9½
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: 9½
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals: 9½
Davis Mills, Houston Texans: 9½
Mac Jones, New England Patriots: 9¾
Daniel Jones, New York Giants: 9¾
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: 9¾
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: 9⅞
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: 9⅞
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: 10
Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts: 10
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: 10
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers: 10
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: 10
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: 10
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: 10⅛
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: 10⅛
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: 10¼
Notable backups
Drew Lock, Denver Broncos: 9 inches
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers: 9⅛
Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers: 9⅛
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: 10
Tyrod Taylor, Houston Texans: 10
Gardner Minshew, Philadelphia Eagles: 10⅛
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers: 10½