Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia remains one of the 2026 NFL Draft class’s most enigmatic prospects. Pavia starred for the Commodores during his two-year stay in Nashville and became a household name in the process, finishing No. 2 in the Heisman Trophy voting behind the 2025 winner, former Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza.
Diego Pavia Elicits Carolina Panthers Interest
Pavia, who earned an extra year of eligibility in a landmark case, is one of several quarterbacks jostling to be picked in the later rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft. On Tuesday, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport revealed on X that Pavia visited the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday for a top-30 visit.
“#Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, the 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, is visiting the #Panthers today, source says. The 24-year-old helped Vandy to its first win over a top-5 team in program history,” Rapoport tweeted.
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The Panthers signed Kenny Pickett to be the team’s backup quarterback behind Bryce Young on a one-year, $7.5 million deal last month.
Going into the NFL Draft evaluation process, Pavia had several factors stacked against him, including his age (24) and height, which sparked widespread discourse after he was measured at 5-foot-9 at the Senior Bowl.
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid ranked Pavia at No. 12 in his latest quarterback rankings, detailing why most NFL teams would not take a swing at the former Vandy standout on draft night.
“At just under 5-foot-10, QBs of Pavia’s size hardly ever last in the NFL as late-round selections. His stature makes him an extreme outlier, which could take him off some teams’ draft boards. Pavia needs to learn how to operate consistently through progressions, as Vanderbilt’s offense included a lot of shotgun-based one- or two-option reads,” Reid wrote.
Pavia gained a reputation as a big-time player at Vanderbilt, leading the previously hapless Commodores to marquee wins against the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers. Last season, the Commodores finished with a 10-4 record and had a 19-8 record during Pavia’s tenure under center.
Despite his heroics in college football, Reid further broke down why Pavia’s stock was unlikely to skyrocket ahead of draft night.
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“He also tends to bail from the pocket prematurely when those early options aren’t available. Pavia’s mental makeup and competitive drive might convince a team to take a chance on him late in the draft, though,” Reid wrote.
Last season, Pavia tallied 3,539 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns to earn a PFSN College QB Impact score of 94.8.
