A week after their regular season came to a close, QB Brett Hundley and OT Xavier Su'a-Filo have decided to ask the NFL to assess their prospects before the underclassmen make a decision on whether to leave UCLA early or come back for another season.
"I'll take everything in, get evaluated, and talk with my family and others," Hundley, a third-year sophomore, told the Los Angeles Times. "It's not just the draft evaluations. There are a lot of things that go into this."
Included in the fact-gathering process for Hundley and Su'a-Filo will be discussions with Bruins head coach Jim Mora, a longtime NFL coach who on Tuesday signed a six-year contract extension to remain at UCLA.
"I have sat in on 25 drafts," Mora said. "I know exactly what they are looking for.
"The pressure can break you fast," Mora added. "All you have to do is look around the league and see some of these guys that came in with great acclaim, but maybe weren't quite ready. It's not long before they sit you down and try to find someone else."
Mora has every incentive to try to keep Hundley at UCLA. Currently, the Bruins have four freshman quarterbacks behind Hundley, none with any meaningful college experience. But the coach, who might have to recruit a junior-college quarterback or two if Hundley leaves, says his only concern is for his players' happiness.
"Do I want them to come back to UCLA? Absolutely," Mora said. "But the bottom line is I want them to be happy. I want them make the right decision."
Last week, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota announced his decision to return to school next year instead of applying for inclusion in the 2014 NFL Draft. That could have a trickle-down effect for quarterbacks such as Hundley who could use an extra year but might see an opportunity to move up in the draft.
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