Diego Pavia elevated Vanderbilt to a new level during the 2025 season, even though he fell short of winning the Heisman Trophy. His transition to the NFL did not go as hoped, as he went undrafted.
How the Football World Reacted to Diego Pavia Going Undrafted
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has always been vocal about his support for Pavia. Coach Prime once again showed support for the former Vanderbilt quarterback after his draft slide.
“@diegopavia02 “I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN! Stay strong and don’t let up. Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget. Much Love & God bless you. #PRIME,” Sanders tweeted.
Former LSU star Breiden Fehoko also threw his support behind Pavia, though he did so by overshadowing Ty Simpson, whom the Los Angeles Rams selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the draft.
“Diego Pavia was better than Ty Simpson this year but the world isn’t ready for that conversation,” Fehoko tweeted.
Pavia ascended to the SEC as Vanderbilt’s QB1 and earned the No. 1 spot in the PFSN QB Impact score in the nation last season, with a grade of 94.8. However, PFSN’s evaluation mentioned concerns about his NFL projection, pointing to limitations in processing speed and arm strength while also questioning whether his athletic traits would translate against pro-level competition. PFSN projected the Vandy QB as a backup at the next level.
Barstool Sports personality Jack Mac said he wasn’t shocked by Pavia going undrafted.
“It’ll be a story, but Diego Pavia not being drafted is not a surprise to me,” Mac said in a video posted from his X handle. “I think it’s not a surprise to a lot of people. He’s 24. He’s kind of short. He also only really has a deep ball. He’s a guy who will have a career in football. I think he’ll get picked up. I don’t know if he’ll make the team, but he would be great in the storyline.
“I remember I was at a UFC event two weekends ago, and a kid sitting next to me told his dad, ‘ That’s Diego Pavia. He’s going to be a first-round draft pick, and I turned around. I can’t believe I did this. This kid was like 14, and I was like, dude, I don’t think he’s going to get drafted, and then the kid laughed at me. I just thought to myself, why did I even turn around and talk to that kid? He’s 14 years old. He’s like what did I gain from doing that but yeah, I was right, kid, if you’re watching this. But no, yeah, I’m not surprised.”
Pavia has now made history as the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted since 2014. Meanwhile, his Vanderbilt teammate and tight end Eli Stowers was selected in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, Pavia’s path isn’t closed off, as players like Warren Moon have shown that going undrafted doesn’t define a career. Moon went undrafted in 1978 before becoming a nine-time Pro Bowler, Pro Bowl MVP, and eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer.
