By: Marques Eversoll

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley hoped to be the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for Hundley, that wasn’t realistic, and only one player each year (Jameis Winston in 2015) can claim the top spot. But leading up to the draft, perhaps even more unrealistic than Hundley’s wish to go No. 1 would have been a fall to to fifth round.

But that’s where the Green Bay Packers got their hands on Hundley – pick No. 149 in the fifth round after trading up with the New England Patriots.

And now, Packers head coach and quarterback whisperer Mike McCarthy can make Hundley his personal project. For the first time since becoming head coach, McCarthy will not call plays this season and will have more time to oversee the big picture and perhaps work with players one-on-one. McCarthy’s Quarterback School speaks for itself – What has Matt Flynn done anywhere outside Green Bay? What did Scott Tolzien do before Green Bay? McCarthy came in and helped an aging Brett Favre have one of the best seasons of his career in 2007. He helped develop Aaron Rogers into the game’s finest player.

Hundley could battle Tolzien as a rookie for the No. 2 job behind Rodgers, but more likely, he’ll start his NFL career as the No. 3 quarterback. Tolzien is ahead of the curve, having spent the 2013 season, 2014 offseason and 2014-15 season with the team.

To compare Hundley to Favre or Rodgers or expect McCarthy’s magic touch to immediately morph Hundley into a Pro Bowl passer would be unfair – and beyond ridiculous, at this point – but Hundley’s natural athletic ability (4.63 in the 40, 36-inch vertical) makes this an interesting situation. If your starting quarterback comes in and goes down – (gulp) – then having a backup that offers something different can make things tough for the defense to adjust. If McCarthy and Tom Clements can improve Hundley’s questionable accuracy, perhaps he’ll develop into a long-term backup (or more) at the NFL level.

Last year with the Bruins, Hundley had a 22-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, completing 69.1 percent of his passes. In three years at UCLA, Hundley threw 75 touchdown and just 25 interceptions. On the group, a cool 1,747 career rushing yards and 30 touchdowns.

Hundley said he had no regrets about declaring for this year’s draft with another year of eligibility remaining. Despite sliding to the fifth round, he said it was “the right time” to turn pro. And it’s hard to argue with him, considering he started at a major college program for three seasons, and averaged 3,323 yards and 25 touchdowns through the air and 582 yards and 10 touchdowns per year n the ground.

He became the first quarterback the Packers have drafted since taking B.J. Coleman with the 243^rd pick in the seventh round of 2012. The team drafted two quarterbacks in 2008 (Brian Brohm, second round and Matt Flynn, seventh round). Those were the only three quarterbacks drafted in the McCarthy Era.

As far as raw talent – and certainly athleticism – Hundley seemingly has the highest ceiling of any quarterback the Packers have brought in. How far Hundley comes during his time in Green Bay will be interesting to see. But as disappointed as he may be in not having an easy path to early playing time, he should realize he’s in a perfect situation to come in and learn from the best – quarterback and coach.