Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Diego Pavia's journey from junior college to SEC standout makes him an unconventional quarterback prospect for NFL teams.
- Concerns about his off-the-field behavior and a controversial social media post have overshadowed his impressive on-field statistics and Heisman finalist appearance.
- Despite his mobility and success against top SEC defenses, questions about his size and maturity linger as he looks to prove himself worthy of an NFL opportunity.
The NFL doesn’t have a lot of room for the Johnny Manziel’s and the Baker Mayfield’s. Diego Pavia is trending toward falling right under that umbrella. The brash attitude he has that comes off as cocky rather than confident is the very thing that held him back from being drafted during this past weekend’s NFL Draft. Mayfield has since calmed down from his off-the-field antics, but Manziel’s got him essentially booted from the NFL. Pavia’s reaction to not winning the Heisman Trophy tarnished his NFL Draft reputation.
There’s been a clip floating around of Pavia talking with Jon Gruden saying he was representing himself. That was taken out of context as he was referring to his NIL negotiations when he was in college. He does have an agent representing him so that isn’t the reason teams are shying away from him.
NEW: Diego Pavia DOESN’T have an agent representing him:
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) April 7, 2026
Pavia: “I didn’t think it was fair that someone was going to represent me and take 5-10%… ain’t nobody taking my money.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/ZK1bBGaAzL
So what’s the real reason for his NFL Draft omission? There isn’t just one. There’s quite a few things that have played a role in Pavia being the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois) back in 2014.
Why Diego Pavia’s Heisman outlash hurt NFL Draft stock
- Reposted to his Instagram story a NSFW shot at Heisman voters
- Was holding a NSFW sign targeted at Indiana at a nightclub
- Issued an apology for emotional response
- NFL scouts and analysts referenced Heisman outburst in pre-draft evaluations
It makes sense that Pavia lashed out a bit after not winning the Heisman Trophy. I don’t agree with how he handled it, but he has a right to feel like he should have won. He believes in himself more than most people and feels he has to play with an edge. There’s a way to have your frustrations while not being brash. The social media post and the sign in the club are red flags to NFL teams no talent will ever trump.
By stats and season accolades, he should have been one of the first quarterbacks taken. But there’s more to being an NFL player than being good. That’s why Shedeur Sanders saw a freefall in his draft slide last year and why players get heavily criticized for how they act off the field as well as on the field.
Pavia’s attitude won’t translate well to the NFL. If he feels he is better than what he is and wants to start this year and doesn’t, does he become a locker room problem? The only thing worse than losing is having a locker room problem. Pavia is trending toward being more of a problem than a solution.
Diego Pavia isn’t your prototypical quarterback either
- Listed as 6-foot on ESPN bio page
- Has more JUCO/Non-Power 4 experience than Power 4 experience
When you look at players like Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young and Kyler Murray, they’re the outliers when it comes to quarterbacks that don’t fit the usual size. Most teams go for taller quarterbacks that can see over the offensive line better and have better arm angles when passing. Shorter quarterbacks have to have a level of athleticism as well to offset their smaller size.
Pavia has the running ability, rushing for 800 or more yards in each of the last three seasons. His ability to create plays with his mobility is a premium. Quarterbacks like Pavia usually don’t get drafted super high. But the last two seasons Pavia had as an SEC quarterback, you can’t overlook how he played against some of the top defenses in college football.
It also doesn’t help that he played two years at a junior college before transferring to New Mexico State for two seasons. He then transferred again for two years at Vanderbilt. Though the Commodores did play solid defenses in the SEC, he doesn’t have an extensive resume against top talent.
He wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and needed to win an appeal against the NCAA to return for the 2025 season. Pavia proved he’s good and proved that he’s worth taking a flier on, but the off-the-field stuff is holding him back. If he can prove to NFL franchises he can mature as a professional, he deserves a shot. For now, he still has a lot to prove.
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