2015 NFL Draft: Top 5 Quarterbacks
Jan 2, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley (17) carries the ball on a 40-yard run against the Kansas State Wildcats in the 2015 Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. UCLA defeated Kansas State 40-35. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
3. Brett Hundley, UCLA
Like every other quarterback that we’ve talked about up until this point, Brett Hundley too is a bit of a project. Where Hundley greatly differs from the aforementioned prospects is in his dual-threat style of play. Hundley ran an impressive 4.63 at the 2015 NFL Combine. This goes as no surprise as Hundley showed himself to be quite the escape artist while playing for UCLA.
Hundley is uniquely adapt at scrambling in the red zone where his running ability often greatly benefits him. As for Hundley’s throwing arm, Hundley has a very strong arm, especially impressive when throwing the deep ball. He may have great ability outside of the pocket, but in the pocket Hundley has shown little ability to excel.
A run first quarterback at times, he struggles to make the needed passes from within the pocket. His pocket presence could be described as sub-par with his inability to climb up into the pocket and make down field passes. Throwing accurately on the run is not an area of strength for Hundley.
He is a prospect whom I could see making significant improvements upon reaching the NFL. When scouting Hunldey, I see a prospect with a unique amount of natural talent who could really benefit from further coaching. There is something to be said for pure talent as Hundley has a ton of it.
A logical former NFL draft prospect comparison for Hundley is former Virginia Tech quarterback, now Arizona Cardinal quarterback, Logan Thomas. Both players are extremely talented young quarterbacks who will need time to improve their skills.
Both are blue chip athletes capable of controlling a game with their feet. Both process rocket arms, but do not yet have the refined skills needed to optimize their pure arm strength. The only major difference between the two quarterbacks is that Thomas is noticeable bigger in height and size compared to Hundley.
If given time to mature and time to learn the position from an NFL standpoint, it is of my belief that Hundley will succeed in the NFL. I would expect him to jump on plenty of team radars starting in the third round. Maybe even possibly the radar of the New York Giants?
Next: 2. Marcus Mariota, Oregon