Jalen Milroe, the former Alabama quarterback, has seen a surprising change in his hand size. Between the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine, his hands grew by more than half an inch. They went from 8 ¾ inches to 9 3/8 inches. That’s a significant jump!
This isn’t the first time a quarterback has seen their hands change during the pre-draft process. Kenny Pickett had a similar experience a few years ago. His hands increased from 8 ½ inches to 8 5/8 inches. However, that change could have been due to different measuring techniques or slight rounding differences. It’s common for measurements to have such small variations.
In 2016, Brandon Allen also experienced a growth in hand size, going from 8 1/8 inches at the Senior Bowl to 8 7/8 inches at the Combine. These changes can raise eyebrows because they might affect how a quarterback grips and throws the ball.
There are exercises players can do to temporarily widen the distance between their thumb and pinkie. However, if they stop the exercises, their hands could shrink back to their original size. That’s why the first measurement often feels permanent.
Many athletes will go to great lengths to achieve the best measurements possible, whether it’s for hand size, height, or speed. These numbers can impact their draft stock and opportunities. While measurements like these are part of the analytics in football, it’s worth noting that they don’t always predict performance accurately.
Ultimately, what truly matters is how a player performs on the field. The tape proves their skills far better than any measuring tape ever could.
