Arizona Cardinals: Is Brett Hundley an Option?

After Marcus Mariota of the Oregon Ducks and Jameis Winston of the Florida State Seminoles, the 2015 NFL Draft is thin on noteworthy quarterback prospects. There are players with upside, but none have displayed an adequate level of professional readiness.

After Mariota and Winston, the next quarterback to come off of the board is expected to be UCLA Bruins star Brett Hundley.

Hundley is a 6’3″ and 226-pound field general with outstanding athleticism. He ranked as a top performer in the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps, three-cone drill and 60-yard shuttle at the 2015 scouting combine.

The question in Phoenix is this: could the Arizona Cardinals select the home-state prospect?

Before he was a star at UCLA, Hundley was a Chandler, Arizona native with immense potential. His athleticism landed him a spot with the Bruins and he subsequently had a glorious Pac-12 career.

In 2014, Hundley finished with 3,155 yards, 31 touchdowns and five interceptions through the air on a completion percentage of 69.1. He also ran for 644 yards and 10 scores.

Per Dan Parr of NFL.com, Hundley recently appeared on, “The Rich Eisen Show,” and stated that he’d love to play for his hometown Cardinals.

"“That would be awesome. That would be amazing,” Hundley told “The Rich Eisen Show.” “To go home and play for your hometown team when you grew up not too far away, that would be a dream come true.”"

If any head coach can help a quarterback realize their potential, it’s Bruce Arians.

Arians is widely regarded as the NFL’s resident quarterback guru. Whether it was Drew Stanton in Arizona or the likes of Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arians has consistently found a way to bring the best out of unheralded quarterbacks.

In Hundley’s case, the hurdle is going from being a spread offense quarterback to not only shining in a pro-style attack, but becoming a full-time starter at the next level.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the Bruins star is working with one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history to make that happen.

UCLA QB Brett Hundley is preparing for his Pro Day by spending 2 weeks working with @kurt13warner in AZ. Smart followup to strong combine.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) February 25, 2015

Kurt Warner is a two-time league MVP and the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP.He led the Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII and knows as well as anyone what it takes to be an elite NFL quarterback.

If Warner believes in Hundley, that could go a long way towards intriguing the front office.

Unfortunately, not everyone is on board with the idea that the former UCLA star can live up to his potential.

Per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, one scout acknowledged Hundley’s upside while offering a scathing review of his NFL readiness.

"“Someone will draft him, but I don’t think he will ever be a starter. He can’t read coverages and struggles to process. It is going to take a few years before he looks like a backup in my opinion. He has a long way to go.” — AFC area scout"

Ouch.

Regardless of how you may feel about Hundley, this is a quarterback-driven league. For as many times as we’ve seen field generals drop down draft boards, we’ve seen just as many instances of teams reaching for a prospect.

In the first two rounds, the Cardinals have the No. 24 and No. 55 overall selections in the 2015 NFL Draft. One of those two picks could go Hundley’s way.

The question is, should it?

Carson Palmer is signed to a three-year, $49.5 million with a massive $16.5 million coming his way in 2018. $20.5 million is guaranteed and his signing bonus was worth $6.5 million.

Palmer is also 35 years old and coming off of a torn ACL. Thus, there’s uncertainty surrounding both his availability and how well he’ll perform upon returning from injury.

The good news for Arizona is that he could potentially restructure his deal.

Hearing Carson Palmer could be an option for restructuring his contract. As long as they don't increase his salary they can redo the deal.
— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) February 25, 2015

The bad news: a 35-year-old coming off of a severe knee injury is tough to trust.

Arizona took Logan Thomas in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he’s more of a big arm than a complete package. Hundley isn’t the most polished prospect, but he’s one with immense potential and the physical tools to impact a game with his legs.

If Hundley is still available in Round 2, the Cardinals—an 11-5 team that’s a quarterback away from contending—should pull the trigger and bring him to town as a potential franchise quarterback.

In the first round, the Cardinals face the unenviable task of balancing the need for a quarterback, Hundley’s bust potential and the option of selecting an immediate impact player.

One way or another, come draft day, Hundley will be a viable option for the Cardinals.

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