Brett Hundley calls fifth-round selection a ‘blessing in disguise’

Brett Hundley fell to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. The UCLA quarterback is pictured here during the Bruins' 38-20 win over USC on Nov. 22, 2014 at the Rose Bowl. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff)

Brett Hundley fell to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. The UCLA quarterback is pictured here during the Bruins’ 38-20 win over USC on Nov. 22, 2014 at the Rose Bowl. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff)

Brett Hundley fell all the way to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft on Saturday, but ended up in a good developmental situation in Green Bay. The UCLA quarterback talked about joining the Packers on a teleconference with local reporters.

How do you feel about coming to Green Bay and sitting behind Aaron Rodgers?

It’s awesome. It’s awesome. It’s a funny thing. Johnathan Franklin, a big brother of mine, I used to ask him about Aaron Rodgers a lot. Just how he is in practice, how he is in the meeting rooms. Now I actually get a chance to be up and personal with it. it’s an awesome experience. Datone (Jones) is there as well. I’m ready to have some fun.

Are you disappointed you’re not in a place where you can start immediately

Yeah. I’m blessed to be in this position and to get picked by Green Bay. Obviously, you always have expectations of going No. 1 or going high in the draft. But you know, everything happens for a reason, and that’s how I look at it. If I’m supposed to be here, this is where I’m supposed to be, and I’m going to make the most of it.

How much pre-draft contact did you have with the Packers?

I talked to them at the combine and that’s about it.

Packers director of pro personnel Eliot Wolf said you made an impression at combine, calling you a football nerd. Is that accurate?

Yeah, very much so. I love football. It’s just who I am and what’s bred inside of me. I love being a quarterback. I love knowing everything about the game. I could sit here all day with you and just watch film and learn. I like knowledge, to put it like that. If I don’t know something, I want to know it. That’s the way I approach things. That’s the way I approach football. I think Green Bay is the perfect organization to learn as much as possible. And they have the best coaches to help me do that, and Aaron Rodgers.

How does your game fit in Green Bay and translate to the NFL?

I think it’ll translate just fine. Obviously, the questions that arose were coming from a spread offense, how well I would translate into the NFL. But I have a lot of confidence in my abilities. I know what I can do and have to work on. I think being able to translate is just knowing terminology, understanding the game a little bit more in depth, and just growing more as a quarterback. I think that’s (the case) with everyone. I have no worries about transitioning into the NFL. When I get down there, I just gotta start working. That’s about it.

What do you have to improve on the most?

I think one thing is just learning terminology. That’s a big part of the game. We call it one thing, and Green Bay calls it another thing. It’s just learning the terminology, understanding that their offense is different from what I ran. I haven’t taken many snaps under the center, so I think that’s something to get used to. I think everything they do as far as the run scheme, past scheme, it’s all new terminology. That’s the first thing I’ve got to dive into.

How beneficial is it that to get to sit and learn first?

It’s a blessing in disguise. Obviously, I have a chip on my shoulder and I’m coming in to work. That’s what it comes down to. I’m coming in, and I’ve got my opportunity. That’s the way I look at it. It’s a blessing in disguise. I’m where I’m supposed to be, and I know when I get there I’m just going to continue to work and do what I’ve always done.

After falling in the fifth round, do you think you could have improved your stock with another year in school?

No. I felt like this year was the right time for me to come out. I’ve played all the time I had — well, I had another year (of eligibility). But I think this was the right time for me to come out and leave UCLA. What we did as a team for the past couple of years that I was there was really inspiring, and really helped that organization. But it was time for me to move on, and I’m happy I did.

Have either Datone Jones or Johnathan Franklin texted you?

Johnathan was the first to text me. I still talk to him almost every day. He’s at Notre Dame now, but he’s doing well. Datone, he for sure texted me as well. I can’t wait to see hi mdown there. I talk to both of them a lot. Even in the offseason, when they were both here at UCLA, I spent a lot of time with them and talked to them a lot. I’m happy to get the chance to at least go up there with Datone now.

Are you disappointed that you’re going to a team where he can’t play immediately?

You know, Aaron Rodgers is the greatest quarterback, one of the greatest quarterbacks. A quarterback I look up to just because of how good he is. Him and Russell Wilson are probably the two quarterbacks I’ve watched the most film on this offseason. To be able to learn from him and get that — I know he still has a lot of years to play, but my job as a quarterback is just go in there and compete. Just play football and learn as much as possible, so that’s what I’m going to do.

What can you do that other quarterbacks in this draft can’t?

Just really understanding and learning the game. i feel like I have a tremendous upside. I feel like the coaches at Green Bay can especially bring that out in me and teach me a lot. i think that’s the one thing — the learning curve and learning the game, and really developing into what people call a prototypical quarterback at the NFL level.

Did any teams lead you to believe that you would be their second- or third-round draft pick?

I did believe, in the second or third (round), or on the second day that I would be taken off the board. But like I said, things happen for a reason. I didn’t go, and I’m blessed now to be taken by Green Bay.

At what point did the draft wait start to become difficult?

I think after the second day, obviously not hearing your name called on the second day — it’s not to say you get disappointed, but your expectations are hurt. You expect to go then, at least. And you don’t. Then to sit in a room today and have to just wait and look, and see quarterback after quarterback taken, it really puts a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming in to work and just be the best quarterback that I can be.

After a while, I came in the room and started watching some Family Guy. Other than that, that’s the only thing I had. I had a ping pong table as well.

Did you have a little of hope that you’d go in the first round?

Yeah. I wanted to be the No. 1 pick. Obviously, that’s always everybody’s expectations. I had a hope, or at least an expectation to maybe go the first day. Obviously, that didn’t come true, or the second day. But like I said, I’m here, I got my opportunity, and that’s all I ask for.