UCLA coach Jim Mora confirmed Thursday what Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley has led UCLA fans to believe for nearly a year -- that the fourth-year junior will enter the 2015 NFL Draft.
"This will be his last game as a UCLA Bruin," Mora said of the team's upcoming appearance in the Alamo Bowl against Kansas State, according to the Orange County Register's Ryan Kartje. "I don't know that he's announced it yet, but we all know that's the case."
Hundley (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) passed for more than 3,000 yards in each of his three seasons as a starter at UCLA. He is considered among the most talented quarterback prospects in the college game, but despite his career-long success in the Pac-12, he's also drawn scouting criticism where his pro potential is concerned.
The harshest of that criticism came earlier this week when an NFL scout told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he projects Hundley as a draft bust. Two common threads among most scouting concerns about Hundley have prevailed -- accuracy and pocket awareness. He has been sacked 123 times in his career, including 10 times against Utah earlier this year, and has been criticized for holding the ball too long.
Still, his production is difficult to argue with. With 9,835 career passing yards, he should reach the 10,000-yard career milestone in the Alamo Bowl against the Wildcats. His career touchdown-to-interception ratio is 74-25, including a career-best 21-5 this season.
Hundley hasn't been coy about his plan to enter the NFL draft after the season. He said as much last January, and hasn't backed off when asked during the season. Mora said last week he expected Hundley to stick with the plan.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter *@ChaseGoodbread*.