Jalen Milroe knows black magic. There you go; yes, we said that, because there’s just no other explanation. The 6-foot-1 ½, Alabama Crimson Tide QB arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indy with one goal—change the narrative by throwing in drills. Heading into the Combine, Milroe wasn’t seen as a first-round pick. Then, something totally unexpected happened—something ‘supernatural’ even he couldn’t have prepared for. It wasn’t about his throws or reads; it was about a sudden, bizarre growth spurt, something no quarterback’s ever had to explain.

As crazy as it is going to sound, we are not kidding. Somehow, in a span of just a few weeks, Jalen Milroe’s hands had grown. Yes, you read that right. When measured at the Senior Bowl, his hand size came in at 8 3/4 inches. But at the NFL Combine, that number had jumped to 9 3/8 inches—more than half an inch of apparent growth. That kind of jump is unheard of, especially for an athlete who’s long past his teenage years. CBS Sports, which first reported the discrepancy, had the internet buzzing with theories. Had Milroe figured out a secret hand-stretching technique? Was there a measurement error at the Senior Bowl?

The latter seemed more likely, but in a draft cycle where even the smallest details matter, this unexpected twist suddenly had real implications. Hand size has long been an overanalyzed metric in quarterback evaluations—teams believe a bigger hand leads to better grip, control, and performance in bad weather. The consensus for the smallest acceptable hand size for an NFL QB is 9 inches, and Milroe’s hands were initially measured as smaller than that.

Now, he’s got bigger hands than both Miami’s Cam Ward (who’s ahead of him in the pick) and Ohio State’s Will Howard, who are sitting at 9 inches. If Milroe’s updated measurement is the real deal, it could give him an edge in a process that often leans on minor details to separate prospects. Even his height remained the same at 6-foot-1 1/2, while his weight dropped three pounds, from 220 pounds to 217.

Yet, for all the talk about his hands, Jalen Milroe is far more focused on what he’s done on the field. The Alabama signal-caller has never been one to shy away from a challenge, and he’s embracing the underdog role in this year’s draft class. “I’m cool with being underrated,” he told reporters at the Combine, exuding the confidence of a quarterback who has been doubted before. “I play in the hardest conference in the country. I played against the number one team in the country, the number one defense in the country.”

He’s not wrong. The SEC is a gauntlet, and #4 thrived in it. His first full season as Alabama’s starter saw him lead the Crimson Tide to the SEC Championship, toppling Georgia in the process. His dual-threat ability torched defenses, and his resilience under pressure was evident in key moments.

The biggest knock on Milroe has always been his mechanics and decision-making, but he argues that his game is more advanced than people give him credit for. “So, if I lack knowledge, I wouldn’t be able to win big games,” he said. “And 2023, my first year starting, I didn’t lose an SEC game and was playing a lot of different defenses, a lot of things that was unraveled when it came to the game planning and a lot of things I pour into that people don’t see.”

No doubt he is a talented passer and a runner. Unfortunately, over the final six games of the 2024 season, Milroe threw just three touchdown passes. He has struggled with consistency that shot down his draft stock. As the draft process continues, Milroe’s story is one of uncertainty but also of potential. He might not hear his name called on the first night of the draft, but there’s an undeniable energy around him.

How did Jalen Milroe’s Combine workout roll out?

Jalen Milroe’s draft journey has been anything but smooth. His struggles in Alabama’s playoff loss to Michigan didn’t do him any favors, and his Senior Bowl performance failed to erase those concerns. But at the NFL Scouting Combine, Milroe showed flashes of why he’s still a highly regarded prospect.

During on-field drills, Milroe wasn’t perfect, but he had some eye-catching moments, including a beautiful deep throw that turned heads. It was the kind of play that reminds scouts why he’s still in the mix as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. According to the Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department, Milroe currently sits as the No. 77 overall player and the No. 5 quarterback in this class. Not bad, but he still has work to do to climb the rankings.

And then there’s the hand size debate. If those Milroe’s numbers turn official, expect that to be a hot topic come Pro Day.