Diego Pavia has been phenomenal for the Vanderbilt Commodores in the 2025 season, as he led them to a historic 10-2 season. With no remaining college eligibility, he is projected to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Pavia is coming off his Heisman-level performance this season, and conversation continues to grow around his potential draft stock.
Diego Pavia Makes Bold Statement to NFL Scouts After Magnificent 2025 Season
Being considered undersized, Pavia has had to earn respect at every stage of his career, and the jump to the NFL is unlikely to be any easier. He lacks the prototypical frame (6’0″, 207 pounds) that teams usually associate with a long-term NFL quarterback.
According to The Athletic, evaluators wouldn’t be shocked if Pavia ends up coming off the board in the later rounds. NFL Draft Buzz’s scouting report also wrote that his smaller build “raises serious durability concerns against NFL-level pass rushers capable of overpowering him on a regular basis.”
However, size-related doubts are nothing new at the quarterback position, as Bryce Young (measured 5-foot-10) faced similar criticism during the draft process. The Carolina Panthers ultimately selected him first overall in 2023, valuing his elite football intelligence, precision, leadership, pocket awareness, and proven college success enough to outweigh concerns about his stature.
When Pavia appeared on “I Am Next,” for an exclusive discussion about his breakout season at Vanderbilt, he addressed NFL scouts directly amid ongoing concerns about his size and draft projection.
“All I tell them is like when I get the opportunity to talk to them is, ‘if you want to win, come get me,’” Pavia said (18:35). “You know, and I think my resume speaks for itself. But I don’t want to just make it seem like I’m bragging on myself or whatever, but everywhere I’ve gone, you know, we’re going to win. And I still believe that, and you come get me, it’ll happen again in the NFL.”
The improvisational style that helped fuel Pavia’s rise at Vanderbilt may not fully translate to the professional level, but his accomplishments with the Commodores are impossible to ignore. He led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season in program history, a school-record six SEC wins, and helped the team climb as high as No. 9 in the AP Poll.
As for his individual records, Pavia set single-season marks for passing yards (3,192), passing touchdowns (27), and total offense (4,018 yards) in 2025. He also broke the single-game passing record with a 484-yard performance in a 45-17 win over Kentucky in November, owning the top score in the PFSN QB Impact Metrics with a 94.8 rating.
When it comes to a possible NFL landing spot, the Las Vegas Raiders could be in position to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them their choice of quarterback. The Raiders are in discussion, as Pavia has already made it clear that Las Vegas is a destination he is targeting.
“I got a few options,” Pavia said. “One, anywhere that needs a QB, but this is where I would like to go: Las Vegas Raiders, so I can play with Maxx Crosby. He would control the defense. I would get the offense. And we would win.”
However, Pavia’s path to the $7.9 billion Raiders franchise remains unclear, as most draft analysts currently project him as a late-round or undrafted pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
