Brett Hundley Believes He Should be Considered Alongside Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston

Quarterback Brett Hundley said on ESPN’s Gruden’s QB Camp on Thursday that he considers himself the peer of the top two passers in the 2015 NFL Draft class, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston.

While speaking to Gruden for the show, Hundley said (via Pro Football Talk):

“I think I’ve done enough to put my name in that conversation I think that’s something that’s always going to be a chip on my shoulder. They may not say I’m in the conversation with Mariota and Jameis—and I respect them to death, they’re great friends of mine—but at the same time, I know I can put my talents against theirs. I feel confident in being able to do that.”

Hundley posted impressive collegiate numbers at UCLA, boasting a career completion percentage of 67.7 percent, 9,966 passing yards, 75 touchdowns to 25 interceptions and 30 rushing touchdowns. That dual-threat nature certainly has teams lining up to meet with Hundley for a workout, but it’s not likely that he’ll be a first-year starter, something Mariota and Winston are almost guaranteed to be.

Hundley has long been lumped into the draft class’s second tier of passers, which also includes Baylor’s Bryce Petty. This year’s selection at the position is thin, to be sure, which means Hundley’s stock is higher than it typically would be for a number of quarterback-needy teams. So, he could be drafted sooner than expected.

Make no mistake, though, Hundley isn’t in the same category as Winston and Mariota, no matter how much he believes he is.

As Bob Rang and Dane Brugler of CBS Sports point out in their scouting report, “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.”

He’s not as NFL-ready as the two quarterbacks who will be drafted in Round 1 and that, ultimately, is why Hundley’s name is not included with Mariota and Winston as one of the draft’s top quarterbacks.

Photo: USA Today Sports