Have a look at the average hand size disclosed ahead of the scouting combine and the NFL hand size measurement method
Events at Lucas Oil Stadium are now taking place as part of the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Almost 300 college athletes will participate in this year’s Combine to strengthen their draft prospects and wow the hordes of NFL scouts, coaches, and management that will be in attendance.
Why the hand size matters in the NFL, measurement method and what is the average size ahead of 2023
Average NFL QB hand size revealed
#Alabama Will Anderson Jr. official measurements:
Height – 6'3 1/2"
Weight – 253
Arm – 33 7/8"
Hand – 9 7/8" pic.twitter.com/XGEbXnsg27— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 2, 2023
Jack Campbell, Iowa ๐ค
"I love having that green dot on my helmet – When I make a mistake, I want to be the first one that raises my hand, and then I want to be the one that gets get chewing tobacco in my eyes from coaches at Iowa" pic.twitter.com/G8TfAx31lG
— แดแดแด ส แดแดสแดแดษดแดษชแดส (@CarpentierNFL) March 1, 2023
The average man’s hand is 7.4 inches long. Regrettably, if you fit that description and you’ve always wanted to play in the NFL, you might want to reconsider your career goals given the remote possibility of success.
This is because it appears that the average size of quarterbacks’ hands from 2008 to 2020 was 9.7 inches for the 39 quarterbacks chosen in the first round.
Notable NFL players with smaller hand sizes
In the NFL, a hand size of nine inches or more is considered to be a good size, and anything below is considered to be a small hand.
There are a few exceptions to the rule, though.
Top prospect Joe Burrow made light of his situation in the run-up to the 2020 draft, saying he was thinking to retire after he was informed the football will be slipping out of his tiny hands. His hands are relatively small at 9 inches.
Considering retirement after I was informed the football will be slipping out of my tiny hands. Please keep me in your thoughts.
— Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) February 24, 2020
When his hands measured 8.5 inches in length during the last year’s draft, former University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett alarmed teams.
He was projected to go high in the draft but instead went 20th overall, most likely due to the size of his hands.
Michael Vick (8.5 inches) and Tony Romo are two other well-known ex-players with small hands (less than 9 inches.)
Hand size measurement at the NFL Combine is done by measuring the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger with the hand outstretched and the number obtained is the player’s handspan or spread. It’s rare for even an NFL player to have a handspan of 11 inches or wider.
Some notable QB hand sizes from around the NFL
Joe Burrow, Ryan Tannehill, and Jared Goff had the fewest measurements in 2021 when ESPN surveyed average quarterback hand sizes (9 inches).
Following are some additional well-known quarterbacks from throughout the league and their hand sizes, listed from largest to smallest:
- Russell Wilson (10.25 inches)
- Aaron Rodgers (10.125 inches)
- Josh Allen (10.125 inches)
- Matthew Stafford (10 inches)
- Dak Prescott (10 inches)
- Trevor Lawrence (10 inches)
- Justin Herbert (10 inches)
- Tua Tagovailoa (10 inches)
- Jalen Hurts (9.75 inches)
- Mac Jones (9.75 inches)
- Kyler Murray (9.5 inches)
- Lamar Jackson (9.5 inches)
- Matt Ryan (9.5 inches)
- Zach Wilson (9.5 inches)
- Jimmy Garoppolo (9.25 inches)
Patrick Mahomes (9.25 inches) - Baker Mayfield (9.25 inches)
- Derek Carr (9.125 inches)
- Justin Fields (9.125 inches)