Quarterback Kenny Pickett’s hand size was a significant topic of conversation in the lead up to this year’s NFL Draft.
While Pickett’s hands measured 8 5/8 inches at his Pro Day, the Steelers didn’t have concerns about them and selected him with the 20th overall pick.
Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward said on his Not Just Football podcast that all the talk about Pickett’s hand size was overblown — though Heyward did razz Pickett about it a little bit.
“I think it got blown out of proportion and then I just kind of ran with it,” Heyward said, via SteelersDepot.com. “You know, why can’t I call my rookie quarterback ‘Burger King Hands’? He will be on the show later on and I will be giving him a hard time then, but, man, the dude can still play.”
Heyward noted that Pickett’s locker is next to his at the team facility, which means he had plenty of time to interact with the young QB during the offseason program.
“I talk a good game and I like to give people a hard time, but I won’t say his hands were really small or anything,” Hayward said. “Like he’s got average-size hands and I didn’t think anything of it. He was able to throw the ball, still able to whip it around, and he’s got the ball in his hands for a reason. He was able to do it in college.”
Pickett may have average-sized hands for the general population, but his 8 1/2-inch measurement was among the smallest for a QB in the history of the Scouting Combine.
But now that Pickett is on an NFL roster, his task is to beat out Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to ascend to Pittsburgh’s QB1.
“[H]e’s got a battle for himself and his hands are gonna be the least of his worries,” Heyward said. “Because Mitch and Mason are gonna make it tough on him.”