Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Diego Pavia signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent after a Heisman-finalist college career.
- He must compete with Skylar Thompson and Joe Fagnano for the Ravens' QB3 role behind starter Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley.
- Pavia's path hinges on showcasing his athleticism and playmaking while improving his mental approach to offset concerns about his height.
Diego Pavia went undrafted despite being a Heisman finalist. There were good reasons for this, but the fact that he went undrafted doesn't necessarily spell an end to his football career. For one, he did sign with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent, so he theoretically has a path to making the Ravens roster.
It won't be an easy path. Pavia has to beat out two other players for the QB3 role and he has to show he can be an NFL player — not just from a playing perspective, but from a mental one instead. With that said, the actual path for Pavia to make the roster is clear. Not a guarantee, of course, but it's there.
The Ravens quarterback depth chart
QB1 | Lamar Jackson | ||
QB2 | Tyler Huntley | ||
QB3? | Skylar Thompson | Diego Pavia | Joe Fagnano |
The Ravens depth chart — and the overall situation at quarterback — paints a clear story. Lamar Jackson is the starter. Tyler Huntley is the backup. And because Jackson always seems to miss a little time each season, the Ravens want to find a third-string quarterback, which is why they signed Skylar Thompson, Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano this offseason.
The big question is which of those three names will emerge as the No. 3 guy in Baltimore. All have an argument: Thompson has previous NFL experience, Fagnano is an intriguing player because of his experience and his ability to play from the pocket, which is a different look from the rest of the quarterbacks on this roster. Pavia lacks ideal quarterback size, but he's a gifted athlete and playmaker.
What will the Ravens value most in that QB3 role? We'll have to see, but one thing that I think gives Pavia an edge is that he has the most upside of the trio. We don't exactly know what the post-John Harbaugh Ravens are looking for in that third-string role, but I'd think they'd have learned from the past that they shouldn't be too conservative there. Keeping the upside play in the building can be a strong move.
What Pavia needs to do to be the QB3
Buy in.
It might sound simple, but that's because it is, IMO. Yes, Pavia's height is a legitimate concern when it comes to his long-term NFL viability, which is why he went undrafted in the first place. You can't be historically short for a quarterback while also having a reputation as a hothead.
But if you fix one of those things? Then your path to making a roster gets much easier, and since Pavia can't get taller — I don't think one can play in the NFL effectively after getting that controversial leg-lengthening surgery that turns your body into something that barely resembles a body — then he has to figure out how to be a team player. That's pretty much it.
Sure, the height stuff will always be a disadvantage, but it's possible to partially negate that with athleticism, and Pavia's college career showed how he could do so. He needs to take a lesson, actually, from Baltimore's starting quarterback: Jackson usually does a good job showing how one can take advantage of his legs while still trying to avoid big hits, and Pavia needs to make sure he can do that.
Calm down. Embrace what you do well as a quarterback, but learn from the system you're now in. This isn't rocket science — it should be pretty clear that Pavia is the most talented of the three players in this battle, and it should be clear what his path to a roster spot is. It also doesn't mean Pavia will take that path.
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