Scouting Combine week makes some think about 40 times and bench press reps. But true knowers of the game understand there’s an even more important number coming this week.
That’s right. It’s hand-size season.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the latest size question about Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray is whether his mitts are big enough.
“There’s not a quarterback in the NFL that has a smaller hand than like a 9 — a 9-inch hand, the span from the thumb to the pinkie,” an NFC executive told Pelissero. “They say [Murray’s] could be really small, like 8 5/8 or 8 7/8.”
An unnamed NFC Scout added: “He’s got a good arm for a guy that size. You do see him at times not be able to spin it. You see it come out pretty good, but if you’re looking at the college ball and counting revolutions on the actual stripes, it doesn’t look like there’s a ton of velocity just buzzing off his hand.”
While Murray’s height and weight are drawing comparisons to Russell Wilson (Murray’s just under 5-10 according to Oklahoma, and reportedly up to 206 pounds), Wilson has 10 1/4-inch hands.
While it’s easy to make fun of (and Lord knows we do it plenty), there is a practical application for measuring the span of a man’s grip. Whether it’s ball security, cold weather concerns, or the simple assist a big hand gives when it’s time to throw, it’s one of the many measurements scouts will harvest this week. Whether it’s meaningful depends on the player.
Some players have taken drastic measures to not show up at Indianapolis with teeny little baby hands. Former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen had his massaged and stretched, going from an 8 1/2 at the Senior Bowl to 8 7/8 by the time he got to the Combine.
