INDIANAPOLIS -- You'll never hear more fuss about hand size than you do at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

California quarterback Jared Goff has been exhibit A this week. While most analysts consider Goff to be a first-round talent and arguably the best quarterback in the draft, some have expressed concern that his hands are too small.

The arbitrary red flags were lowered somewhat when the signal-caller's paws measured in at 9 inches even.

"I just heard about that yesterday," said Goff, who also stands 6-feet, 4-inches tall and weighed in at 215 pounds. "I've been told I have pretty big hands my whole life. I heard I have small hands yesterday apparently. I've never had a problem with that or expect it to be a problem at all."

"I've played football my whole life and never had any problem with that."

So along with his 9" hands, what else are teams getting in the former Golden Bear?

"I think tremendous leadership, hard working," Goff said. "I think I'm going to improve a team the day I get there, honestly. I think I can be the guy who can play right away, the guy who can sit if I need to and learn. Honestly I'm excited for whatever team wants to draft me, and I'm excited to make an impact right away."

Goff threw for 4,717 yards as a junior in 2015 and 43 touchdowns. The quarterback called accuracy his greatest attribute and said that he wants to work on establishing his base when throwing the football.

Footwork is key in the NFL and defenses make quarterbacks pay when they throw off their back foot.

"I was able to get away with some stuff in the past, maybe falling off throws or just kind of getting away with it because I was in college and had enough arm talent to do it," Goff said. "I don't expect to be able to get away with that really much longer."

Goff has been training with fellow top quarterback prospect, Carson Wentz, leading up to the combine. Wentz is a North Dakota State product and won four straight Division I AA National Championships during his college career.

The two signal-callers have been jockeying back-and-forth on draft boards with experts very split on who is the best in class. That has made for some friendly competition between the two.

"By no means is it cutthroat, but we're competitive with each other and just trying to do our best every day," Goff said.

The Cal prospect will have to make the similar transition that many college quarterbacks have to make, going from spread offenses to pro-style schemes in the NFL. Goff expressed confidence and excitement in making the move to the NFL. The quarterback added that his footwork in drop backs and use of shotgun on third down should translate well at the next level.

What will remain uncertain until late April is where Goff will land. The expected top-10 selection in late April could go as high as No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns.

Once Goff has a destination, all focus will shift to whether or not he will be a Week 1 starter as a rookie. The quarterback again showed the confidence that he'll be capable of filling that role but also showed the humility that he'd accept whatever path his future team has planned for him.

"You always want to play," he explained. "But at the same time, if that's the situation you go into, that's the situation. You get better and you deal with it and you go through the couple of years or whatever it is and do your best and continue to be ready whenever the time comes."