NFL Draft 2016: 1st-Round Mock Draft and Early Team Buzz from Scouting Combine

Quarterbacks took center stage during Day 2 of the NFL Scouting Combine, and the topic of the day was hand size.

Hand size?

While many in the media were perplexed that such a seemingly small item could matter so greatly, Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson had no problems putting the matter into perspective when he spoke to the assembled press crew at the Indianapolis event.

"Oh yes, it does. It does. It matters because we play in a division where all of a sudden there's rain, there's snow, and it's different," Jackson said (h/t Rob Rang of the Sports Xchange.) "I think guys that have big hands can grip the ball better in those environmental situations, and so we'll look for a guy that fits what we're looking for in a quarterback. And is hand size important? Yes it is."

There are no guarantees when it comes to the draft, but it could be a strong indication that the Browns are not going to select California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 2 pick in the first round. Goff's hand measurement was nine inches, and according to ESPN's Pat McManamon, only 10 percent of the quarterbacks in the NFL have hand sizes of nine inches or less.

If the Browns are going to stay away from Goff, it could be a strong indication that North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz will hear his name called when commissioner Roger Goodell goes to the podium to announce the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Wentz downplayed the importance of hand size. "I think it's something cool to talk about or whatever," Wentz said (h/t McManamon). "Gives you guys something fun to write about."

Pick	Team	Player
1	Tennessee Titans	Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
2	Cleveland Browns	Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
3	San Diego Chargers	Jalen Ramsey, S/CB, Florida State
4	Dallas Cowboys	DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
5	Jacksonville Jaguars	Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
6	Baltimore Ravens	Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
7	San Francisco 49ers	Jared Goff, QB, California
8	Miami Dolphins	Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
10	New York Giants	Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
11	Chicago Bears	Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida
12	New Orleans Saints	Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky
13	Philadelphia Eagles	Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
14	Oakland Raiders	Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
15	Los Angeles Rams	Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
16	Detroit Lions	Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
17	Atlanta Falcons	Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
18	Indianapolis Colts	A'Shawn Robinson, DE/DT, Alabama
19	Buffalo Bills	Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
20	New York Jets	Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama
21	Washington	Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
22	Houston Texans	Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
23	Minnesota Vikings	Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
25	Pittsburgh Steelers	Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
26	Seattle Seahawks	Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
27	Green Bay Packers	Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State
28	Kansas City Chiefs	Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss
29	Arizona Cardinals	Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia
30	Carolina Panthers	Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
31	Denver Broncos	Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State

Aside from quarterback hand size, one of the more interesting team stories involved the Indianapolis Colts. Throughout the majority of the second half of the season, it seemed like head coach Chuck Pagano might be one of the first to hear his named called on Black Monday.

Pagano was supposed to be fired following the Colts' disappointing season, and it seemed that general manager Ryan Grigson had run out of patience with the affable coach.

But he was not fired, as Grigson apparently had a change of heart after the two men had their end-of-season meeting.

That manifested itself when Grigson met the media and admitted that he needed to do a better job. He did not put it on Pagano, who has been through so much in his career.

“I’m not one that’s ever been through adversity,” Grigson said (h/t Gregg Doyel). “Chuck (a leukemia survivor) obviously knows a heck of a lot about adversity.”

Instead of being at each other's throats, it appears that Grigson and Pagano have a strong partnership. If the Colts have a healthy Andrew Luck this season and can protect him with improved offensive line play, that relationship could help the Colts go a long way in 2016.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

The Chicago Bears will have a new No. 1 running back in 2016 after letting Matt Forte go earlier this month. General manager Ryan Pace said the Bears have great confidence in younger running backs Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey but that the team is looking for one more running back at the combine.

If the Bears are interested in filling the position with the No. 11 pick in the draft, they would get a willing running back in Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott. 

Elliott was recruited to Ohio State by Stan Drayton, who is now the Bears' running back coach. “Stan Drayton, that’s my guy,” Elliott said (h/t Chris Emma of CBS Chicago). “He’s been part of it ever since I got on campus. He’s one of the biggest reasons why I’m [at the NFL combine] today."

Chicago's biggest needs are on the defensive side, but Elliott had a magnificent run with the Buckeyes. He ran for 3,699 yards in 2014 and 2015 and scored an eye-opening 41 touchdowns.