Hand size -- and a random act of kindness -- focus on day one of 2022 scouting combine

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 1157 GMT (1957 HKT) March 4, 2022

Kenny Pickett in the first quarter against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Heinz Field on November 11, 2021.

(CNN)The hand size of the top quarterback prospect entering this season's NFL draft was the main talking point after the opening day of the 2022 scouting combine on Thursday.

University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett, a Heisman Trophy runner-up, is tipped to be a first round pick in April's draft. Both NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN reported that his right hand — his throwing hand — measured at 8 ½ inches. According to NFL.com, that would make it smaller than any other starting NFL QB in the league in 2021. The size of a quarterback's throwing hand is important because having a smaller hand makes it harder to grip the ball, therefore making it more difficult to play the position — especially in adverse weather conditions. Read MorePickett's hand size doesn't seem to have hampered him too much as of yet, as the 23-year-old completed 67.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards and a 42-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio en route to winning the ACC title.His hand measurement has been a hot topic of discussions leading up to the combine, after he didn't have them measured at the Senior Bowl a few weeks ago. «Whatever it measures, it measures,» Pickett said at the NFL Scouting Combine. «I'm sure that won't be the end of it, but that'll be the last measurement I'm sure I'll take of it.»But while people were debating the minutiae of hand sizes, a random act of kindness also grabbed the headlines. Liberty Eagles quarterback Malik Willis was caught on camera talking to someone sitting on a milk crate outside Lucas Oil Stadium before reaching into his