Brett Hundley | Quarterback | UCLA | 6'3" - 223 lbs.
STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete with ideal height and a thick lower body...not an easy player to tackle and will deliver hits, running with power - stout frame to brush off contact in the pocket and as a ballcarrier...athletic footwork and flexible body control to move like a much smaller athlete...uses his legs effectively to pick up positive yards or move the pocket with natural instincts as a scrambler and the acceleration to erase pursuit angles.
Nice job stepping into his throws with easy arm strength to spin a pretty ball to all levels of the field - able to generate unforced velocity...quick set-up, rhythm and delivery motion...comfortable operating from a clean pocket with an even-keeled, calm demeanor...improved understanding of situational football...nice job selling play fakes and works his mannerisms well...durable and plays through pain (dealt with minor ankle and elbow injuries), starting every game of his career (40 career starts)...mature leader for his age with a gutsy demeanor even if it doesn't appear that way because of his reserved demeanor - voted team captain as a sophomore.
Wants to be great with the football passion and competitive drive needed for the NFL...career 29-11 record as a starter, becoming the first UCLA quarterback to produce at least nine wins in three straight seasons as a starter...leaves UCLA with the career records for touchdown passes (75), completions (837) and total offense (11,713) - finished second in school history in career passing yards (9,966) and rushing yards by a quarterback (1,747)...football bloodlines: father (Brett Sr.) played running back at Arizona.
WEAKNESSES: Poor pocket awareness and presence, struggling to decipher and recognize pressures...drops his eyes early and allows defenders to disrupt his tempo, struggling to manage the pocket and stare down the gun barrel, especially with interior pressures...too easily rattled and doesn't play with consistent confidence in the pocket...needs to develop his internal clock, holding the ball too long and allowing the pocket to swallow him up.
Struggles to reset his feet and eyes once moved from initial spot...doesn't show much anticipation at this point in his development, usually waiting for his target to come open before delivering...questionable processing speed with gun-shy tendencies, not challenging tight coverages...too methodical at times and doesn't read blitzes to speed up his process...needs to quicken his eyes and expand his vision...downfield ball placement isn't a strength with most of his completions coming on throws under 10 yards on screens, quick slants and swing passes...poor ball security with 29 career fumble the last three seasons.
COMPARES TO: Randall Cunningham, ex-Eagles: Hundley possesses a combination of size, athleticism, grace and arm strength reminiscent of the former Pro Bowler Cunningham.
IN OUR VIEW: On the surface, Hundley's skill-set seems every bit as tantalizing as Oregon's Marcus Mariota or Florida State's Jameis Winston. However, Hundley needs to improve in the critical subtleties of the quarterback position - pocket presence, reading defenses and ball placement.
--Dane Brugler & Rob Rang
PLAYER OVERVIEWWith dual-threat quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick leading their respective clubs to the Super Bowl the past three years, NFL teams may be growing more comfortable with the idea of highly athletic passers now than ever before. That's music to the ears of Hundley, whose graceful running and deep ball proficiency could earn him a surprisingly high grade come spring.
Coming out of Chandler, Ariz., Hundley was the first UCLA quarterback recruit to earn a five-star rating (scout.com). As a senior, he completed 139 of 225 passes for 2,348 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions, while also leading the team in rushing with 856 yards (7.0 avg.) and nine touchdowns.
Hundley redshirted under Rick Neuheisel in 2011 but looked the part of a future blue-chip NFL prospect in guiding the Bruins to the Pac-12 South championship a year later with coach Jim Mora. Hundley threw for a school-record 3,740 passing yards, including 29 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions in his first season.
He followed that up with similar production the next two seasons, watching his completion percentage raise each year and his interceptions drop. Despite leaving with a year of eligibility remaining, Hundley is UCLA's all-time leader with 11,713 total yards and 75 touchdown passes against just 25 interceptions - only five of which came in 2014.
The concern with Hundley is that statistics aside, he appears much the same now as he did two years ago. He still has a tendency to drop his eyes and become a running back once he feels a pass rush rather than remaining poised in the pocket and keeping his passing options open. To achieve success in the NFL, there is no question that he'll need to improve in this area.
Given the steep drop-off in talent following Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota, however, teams could see Hundley as a relative value with plenty of upside to develop. It has been a long time since a Bruins' quarterback has excited scouts. The last UCLA quarterback drafted, in fact, was Cade McNown, whom the Chicago Bears selected in the first round in 1999.