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UCLA's Brett Hundley helps himself with strong pro-day showing

LOS ANGELES -- Tuesday's pro day at UCLA lacked some of the buzz of last year, when Anthony Barr -- the No. 9 overall pick last year -- tore up the turf at Spaulding Field. However, there was still considerable NFL interest Tuesday, with 28 teams on hand to get a look at the prospects that put on a show.



The star of the workout was, naturally, quarterback Brett Hundley , who went through an up-tempo throwing session that was aimed at showing off a variety of his skills to the scouts in attendance.

"I'm really, really happy with what I did and satisfied with it. I felt like I put on a show today," Hundley told CFB 24/7. "I feel like I can just relax a little but there's no break. I've got to keep going and keep getting better."

Several quarterback-needy teams, including the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets, had a healthy contingent of scouts on hand, and there were numerous Seattle Seahawks coaches taking in the outing, too.

Hundley worked a variety of route concepts that he had not shown very much on tape and impressed with a tight spiral and good velocity. He appeared to be on the money with all but a handful of passes. The signal-caller looked to be on the same page as his wideouts and he was particularly proud of the footwork he showed off inside the pocket while avoiding a faux pass rush.

Earlier Tuesday, UCLA head coach Jim Mora said he's not sure if Hundley is ready to be an immediate NFL starter, but Mora remains a huge fan of Hundley, praising his performance and character after the workout.

"Brett threw well. He threw 60 passes and ended up completing 57 of the 60 with one drop," Mora said. "Not every throw was perfect but I think what the scouts and coaches appreciated was his enthusiasm. When you sit down in interviews, you hear over and over what a great kid he is and what high character he (has)."

Earlier Tuesday, Mora said he he's not sure if Hundley to be an NFL starter right away. the main attraction among the seven former Bruins competing at the pro day, but he was far from the only one who helped his draft stock with his performance.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks moved well during linebacker drills but opted to stand on the one 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL Scouting Combine (4.61 seconds). The hamstring issue that kept him from running his second 40 attempt at the combine continues to nag him, but he appeared fluid during pass-coverage drills. He indicated after the workout that he's happy with everything he's been able to show scouts the past few weeks, as talk has heated up about him being a potential early second-round -- if not late first-round -- pick.

However, defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa might be the player who helped himself the most on Tuesday.



Both Odighizuwa and Mora indicated NFL teams understand that while Odighizuwa's numbers might not be as robust as other pass rushers in the draft, the production might have been limited because he primarily played as a 3-4 defensive end in the Bruins' system. Indications are NFL teams think he's fully capable of rushing the passer at other spots and easily adaptable to a variety of roles.

"I've got a lot of feedback and it's all been positive, first-round area," Odighizuwa said. "I'm just trying to increase (my stock) as much as I can. It comes down to showing versatility and athleticism and everything that teams want out of a defensive end and outside linebacker-type."



Versatility became one of the themes of the day around the UCLA complex, as the seven Bruins left smiling after a crisp pro-day workout.

You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.