Andrew Buller-Russ
During the 2025 college football season, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was easily one of the best players on the field. Not only did he win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation’s top upperclassman QB in college football, but he also finished as a Heisman finalist.
Yet, when it came to evaluating Pavia’s prospects, many felt like the 5-foot-10 QB would go undrafted throughout the 2026 NFL Draft. They were right.
A total of 257 players were drafted throughout the three-day event, but not Pavia. Once the NFL Draft concluded on Saturday, the rush to sign him as an undrafted free agent began.
Yet, unlike the hundreds of others who have already signed contracts, Pavia has taken a different route.
He’s already agreed to attend the Ravens’ rookie minicamp this weekend. However, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “there are other teams that want to bring him in if the Ravens don’t sign him.”
No matter what, Pavia faces a tough road ahead. For now, he’ll compete for a chance to become the Ravens’ third-string QB, behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Yet, there could be several more opportunities to come, should things not work out well this weekend.
Pavia passed for 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season, while completing 70.6% of his passes. Pavia tacked on another 862 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rusher, showcasing his ability to be a dual-threat. But that was in college; he still needs to prove himself in the NFL.
Related: 2026 NFL Power Rankings: Evaluating Worst, Best Teams After NFL Draft
