Our countdown of the Pac-12’s Top 25 players from the 2013 season continues.
You can review our 2013 preseason Top 25 here.
No. 8: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
2013 numbers: Hundley completed 67.2 percent of his throws for 3,071 yards with 24 touchdowns to nine interceptions. He also rushed for 748 yards and 11 scores.
Preseason ranking: No. 5
Making the case for Hundley: Hundley took some very important steps in his progression in 2013. His passing touchdowns were down from last year, but so were his interceptions. He raised his completion percentage, protected the ball better as a runner and had more rushing touchdowns. He more than doubled his rushing yards from last season. It's also worth noting that after taking 52 sacks in 2012, he cut that number to 35. It’s still not great, but it’s a clear sign that he’s improving and becoming a better decision-maker in the pocket. His athleticism is without question. Opposing coaches often point to Hundley as the most difficult quarterback in the conference to bring down. Outside of Johnny Manziel, no one has more scramble yards in the last two seasons than Hundley (per ESPN Stats & Info). His return makes the Bruins an instant favorite in the Pac-12 South and a strong contender for the league title. After passing up a chance to be a possible first-round draft pick this year, expect him to garner significant Heisman Trophy buzz heading into and throughout the 2014 season.
No. 9: David Yankey, OL, Stanford
No. 10: Leonard Williams, DE, USC
No. 11: Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
No. 12: Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
No. 13: Tyler Gaffney, RB, Stanford
No. 14: Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
No. 15: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
No. 16: Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State
No. 17: Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado
No. 18: Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
No. 19: Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
No. 20: Trevor Reilly, DE/OLB, Utah
No. 21: Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State
No. 22: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
No. 23: Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
No. 25: Myles Jack, LB/RB, UCLA