The 2020 NFL Draft Combine is this week, and Joe Burrow is the presumptive #1 overall pick. Things got underway Monday with the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends getting measured. Among the measurements were the standard height and weight, as well as arm length, wingspan, and hand size. The last of those measurements, hand size, would become the biggest story of the day.

Burrow’s hand size came in at 9 inches. The initial reaction to the casual observer might have ranged from “so what?” to “I wonder how big my hands are”. To NFL scouts and personnel at the NFL Combine, that may have come as a surprise.

Thirty-five quarterbacks have been drafted in the opening round since 2008, and their average hand size is 9.7 inches.

New York Post

Burrow responded to this with a sense of humor.

So, while his hand size may not be ideal, his sense of awareness and timing is impeccable.

People will question the relevancy of hand measurements as they relate to a player’s success. I would agree, if teams were only looking at hand sizes and picking based upon that. However, it is only part of the process into dissecting the makeup of a particular prospect.

Obviously Joe Burrow’s hand size did not affect his ability on the football field this season as he led LSU to a National Championship while destroying all sorts of records. However, this measurement will lead teams to study more closely on particular elements of Burrow’s game. They will look at his ball security and how he performed in poor weather.

With regards to ball security, I was reminded of a particular play which Burrow displayed it beautifully.

With both hands on the ball, ball security is not an issue.

Burrow’s hand size is just the latest measurement to get buzz. Just a year ago, #1 overall pick Kyler Murray had to overcome questions concerning his height. Murray measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 207 pounds. He went into the NFL Combine with concerns he would be shorter than that, however, he was under the six-foot benchmark set for NFL quarterbacks. Thanks to quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson that stigma has been dismissed. Murray also went onto win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

As far as hand size is considered, I think Joe Burrow is joining good company in Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes.

OUTTA HERE!