Matt Pryor is good with his hands. At age 5, he was changing diapers. By his senior season at Texas Christian, there wasn’t a defensive lineman that could penetrate past him if he got his punch off first.
But hands can be a liability for NFL offensive linemen, especially if you show your cards too fast.
“During my combine training, my coach would always say, ‘D-linemen see your hands like pieces of candy,’” Pryor said. “They’re waiting for you to throw them so they can snatch them.”
It’s been the hardest lesson for the Eagles’ sixth-round draft pick – knowing when to punch and how to counter.