Before the Draft, franchises cling to the numbers. Sometimes to excess. A trend that comes back even in the analyzes of this site. In 2022, Kenny Pickett’s hands were a real concern.
“ Despite his childish hands “, were also the first words of his Draft card.
For some teams, the criterion was even completely eliminatory. That’s what the Steelers quarterback revealed on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast.
“Some teams say, ‘If you’re not 9 inches (23cm), you’re off our roster.
Some of these teams were high so I did everything possible. »
A little more than 3 millimeters gained
Really everything possible. Kenny Pickett has gone so far as to wear a brace at night to make his hands bigger. And he succeeded! The length between her little finger and the tip of her thumb has increased significantly. From 21.59 centimeters at the Combine, he went to 21.9 at the time of his Pro Day.
Roethlisberger laughs.
“- Is it painful?
– No, it was fine. »
A little torture for three millimeters, but not enough to reach the minimum length required by some franchises. Too bad if he had played in the cold in college. And perhaps enough to explain his fall to 20th position in the first round.
Note that it is not to compensate for the size of his hands that Pickett wears gloves. Just a question of feelings.
The smallest hands in the NFL
The 21.59 centimeters measured at the Combine gave Pickett the honorary title of the NFL’s smallest hands among starting quarterbacks. If it can reassure him, Tony Romo and Michael Vick have rather had good careers, and their hands were below the 23 centimeter cap that some franchises fantasize about. Jared Goff was right on this measure in 2016, the smallest hands of the vintage. He also had a better score during his Pro Day. He is coming off a good season.
Joe Burrow also has 23 centimeter hands.
Biggest hands in the NFL? It’s a small surprise. Not the tallest under the height gauge, Russell Wilson has 26 centimeter hands! Drew Brees, another small frame, had hands of the same size. Better than Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen (25.7cm). That’s not what saved Wilson from a disastrous season with Denver.
And if it needed a final example of the relativity of the thing, there is Jim Druckenmiller. Selected in the first round in 1997 by the 49ers, his hands measured 28.5 centimeters, a record in the history of the league! Result: only 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions in two short seasons in the league.
