The last time the Green Bay Packers had a quarterback named Brett, things worked out pretty well.

Now they have another one: Brett Hundley, drafted in the sixth round this year after a solid career in the spread offense at UCLA.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is widely known as a guy who both loves to tutor quarterbacks and who is pretty good at it. McCarthy is also a guy who doesn’t blow much smoke when he describes his players. So it’s instructive to listen to McCarthy when he talks about Hundley.

Hundley has always been a spread formation quarterback, and he has almost no experience lining up under center. But that doesn’t make much difference to McCarthy.  

"I’ve always looked at the position, not whether they play in the pro style versus run and shoot or spread. I’ve always viewed the position more than the offense they play in pro style vs run and shoot and spread," McCarthy said "I think football players are football players, and I think that’s especially true of the quarterback position. I’ve always felt that you look for an individual who has something that you can develop. There’s a ton of that there with Brett Hundley."

Last season, Hundley completed just under 70 percent of his passes for 8.0 yards per reception and 22 touchdowns. But he’s also a good runner, carrying the ball 159 times with a 4.1 average and 10 touchdowns.

"I first met Brett at the combine, and he was very impressive," McCarthy said. "He is obviously very athletic and tough. We’re fortunate to have been able to select him because you can never have enough quarterbacks."

If things stay the way they are, the Packers will go into next season with four quarterbacks on the roster: Aaron Rodgers, Scott Tolzien, Mark Blanchard out of UW Whitewater a few years ago and Hundley.

"We talk a lot about the quarterback room," McCarthy said. "We want the right kind of people in that room. Our coaches are excited about the change to develop Hundley. Obviously having Aaron, he’ll be an excellent mentor, as he has been all along to our young quarterbacks.

"The first thing you look for in a quarterback, really in any football player, is you look for the things you can’t teach. Everyone wants to talk about the x’s and o’s and the specifics and training techniques. The reality of the game (is) it’s 11 on 11 and things happen. The ability to play beyond the designated play is what you are looking for. Brett has a ton of that, he’s a tough guy who really stands out."

Hundley himself seems to at least not be the stereotype of the cocky quarterback (read Johnny Manziel) who thinks he’s ready to step into a starting role.

"I’m a football nerd," he said. "I like learning all the time. I love to watch film, and I’m learning all the time. I have a lot of confidence in my abilities, but I’m a very hard worker and I’m coming to camp to work."

Rodgers obviously has a number of years left to be the best quarterback in the game, but at some point he’s going to be ready to step down. And just maybe a quarterback named Brett will be ready to take his place.