Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia enjoyed an outstanding career in Nashville. Before that, he excelled at New Mexico State and the New Mexico Military Institute. He finished with 10,255 passing yards and 119 combined touchdowns. After going undrafted during the three-day event, Pavia found himself without a team. Can he return to Vanderbilt?
Why Diego Pavia Cannot Return to Vanderbilt After Going Undrafted
When Pavia graduated from high school, few, if any, colleges at any level thought he could compete. Yet, it was NMMI that gave him a chance.
Ironically, the school’s location in Roswell, New Mexico, served as a launching pad to his otherworldly collegiate journey. From there, winning at New Mexico State set a standard.
For context, the Aggies own two bowl wins in the last 50 seasons; Pavia owns one of them. Additionally, recording 17 wins during an award-winning stint in the SEC should’ve given him a chance in the NFL. Professional football is his only pursuit.
He exhausted his eligibility. After six collegiate seasons (two were in JUCO), three two-year stints in total, he cannot return. In 2024, he filed a lawsuit seeking an extra year of eligibility, arguing that his junior college stint should not count against him because the NCAA does not govern junior college and therefore has no input at that level of football.
The courts sided with him, granting Pavia one more season. Vanderbilt posted its first 10-win season in the program’s 136-year history.
Because he was the runner-up to last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza, some believed that the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year would easily find an NFL home. Pavia stands 5-foot-10 1/8 and weighs 207 pounds. However, he lacks elite measurable traits.
While scouts continue to praise Pavia’s scrambling and ability to break the pocket, his arm strength may not be NFL-caliber. For example, he did not enjoy excellent results throwing over 20 yards. He connected on 35.5% of those passes.
In the NFL, defenses will dare Pavia to throw the ball over their heads. Subsequently, they will press wideouts, disrupting their routes and the offense. He didn’t help his case with his off-field behavior.
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Moreover, Pavia ran a 4.84 in the 40-yard dash. Mendoza, who stands roughly 7 inches taller and 29 pounds heavier, is a better athlete with the arm to make every throw. Despite this, he did land at No. 1 in the PFSN CFB QB Impact Rankings.
Pavia found a home last weekend and received a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens. With entrenched starter Lamar Jackson and valued backup Tyler Huntley ahead of him on the depth chart, Pavia could struggle with gaining a foothold at the next level.
