It's not the size of the boat it's the motion of the ocean.
Roger McCreary is one of the most talented cornerbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft and yet he is going to be eliminated from some NFL teams' draft boards because of his 29 1/4" long arms.
Much of the buzz surrounding McCreary's stock has revolved around that one measurement but it does not tell his full story. He's displayed the work ethic, production and on-field traits that make him worthy of a first-round pick.
McCreary was a three-star recruit who originally played safety before moving to corner for Auburn. He improved every year, raising his tackle numbers and ball production; culminating in a 2021 season where he led the SEC in pass-breakups with 14.
McCreary is extremely battle tested, competing against the top receivers in the nation, making him NFL-ready. He's sharpened his iron against Ja'Marr Chase in 2019, DeVonta Smith in 2020 and John Metchie III, Jameson Williams and Jahan Dotson in 2021 - among more.
When McCreary appeared on CBS' "Pick Six Podcast" he explained how he uses film study to perform against a gauntlet of receivers who each have different skillsets, "That's one thing that I love so much about the SEC is that you get to play against all different types of wide receivers. I went against short, quick guys. Tall, big guys. An example, [Arkansas'] Treylon Burks, that is a big overall guy that runs with speed. Coming from Jameson Williams with speed. [Penn State's] Jahan Dotson has great hands and can jump up and get the ball with Ja'Marr Chase."