Wisconsin Badgers OT Riley Mahlman's NFL Draft stock takes a hit with weigh-in measurements

Wisconsin Badgers offensive tackle Riley Mahlman looks to be the next in a long line of NFL offensive linemen to come out of Madison.

But his measurements at his official weigh-in at the East-West Shrine Bowl aren't going to help his draft stock.

Mahlman is every bit the 6-foot-8, 304-pound offensive tackle that Wisconsin listed him as, but he has short arms and small hands compared to what the NFL likes to see at his position.

He measured in with arms that are just over 32 inches long and hands that are just over nine inches long.

Offensive tackles in the 2026 NFL Draft with sub 33 inch arms:

Trey Zuhn (Texas A&M) - 31 7/8”
Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern) - 32 1/2”
Riley Mahlman (Wisconsin) - 32 5/8”
Alex Harkey (Oregon) - 32 1/4”
Melvin Priestly (Illinois) - 32 1/8”
Hunter Zambrano (Texas Tech) - 31 5/8”
— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) January 16, 2026

Sign Up For the Wisconsin Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Wisconsin Badgers Newsletter

Arm length was a major talking point in last year's NFL Draft, with significant questions as to whether top prospects like Will Campbell from LSU and Kelvin Banks from Texas could hold up at offensive tackle with short arms.

Campbell's arms measured in at 33 inches, and Banks' arms were 33.5 inches — both longer than what Mahlman has.

The concern comes from the ability to block NFL edge rushers, most of whom tend to have longer arms.

In a one-on-one matchup, the player with the longer arms has the advantage of making contact first without having to over-extend, putting them in a better position to control their opponent.

Mahlman's shorter arms don't doom his NFL Draft stock by any means, but some teams have minimum thresholds for their players' measurements. It could keep him from being drafted as highly as he would with longer arms.

Related: 6 Wisconsin Badgers will compete in college football all-star games in front of NFL scouts

Wisconsin’s Riley Mahlman is helping himself at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Plays with such control and balance + has a violent punch.

Mahlman played over 2,800 snaps for the Badgers. Tons of experience. pic.twitter.com/TwVrEetjO2
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 24, 2026

The good news is, he has the requisite skillset to overcome the deficiency. His arms didn't all of a sudden get shorter.

Mahlman was a successful three-year starter at Wisconsin with those 32-inch arms, and he is continuing to prove himself at the East-West Shrine Bowl practices this weekend.

He has earned praise from media members in attendance, taking full advantage of his opportunity to prove that his short arms aren't a weakness for him.

More Wisconsin Badgers News:

Wisconsin Badgers land another in-state recruit for 2027 class with play-making safety

Wisconsin Badgers pass rusher already boosting his NFL Draft stock at Shrine Bowl practice

After delay, Wisconsin Badgers sign second transfer portal QB and his brother

Former Wisconsin Badgers coach Jim Leonhard has 'mutual interest' with Green Bay Packers for coordinator role