Last season, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia emerged as one of college football’s biggest stars and finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.
But in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, while Pavia went undrafted. Now, one day later, he has yet to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent. What’s going on with Pavia, and where does he go from here?
Keep track of every signing in undrafted free agency with PFSN’s 2026 NFL UDFA tracker.
Why Is Diego Pavia Still Unsigned As an Undrafted Free Agent?
Quite a few undrafted quarterbacks have signed with NFL teams as an UDFAs, including Haynes King (Carolina Panthers), Jack Strand (Atlanta Falcons), Jacob Clark (Raiders), Jalon Daniels (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Joey Aguilar (Jacksonville Jaguars), Kyron Drones (Green Bay Packers), Luke Altmyer (Detroit Lions), Mark Gronowski (Miami Dolphins), Matthew Caldwell (Los Angeles Rams), Miller Moss (Chicago Bears), and Sawyer Robertson (Raiders).
So, why hasn’t Pavia put pen to paper on a UDFA deal yet?
Well, Pavia was always a polarizing prospect. He was the No. 13-ranked QB in PFSN’s 2026 NFL Draft big board, as there are major concerns about how his game would translate to the next level. At 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds, he’s very undersized — in the 1st percentile among QBs.
“His processing isn’t quite NFL-caliber, nor is his arm strength, and even his athleticism might not be as prevalent against NFL talent,” per Pavia’s PFSN scouting report. “Pavia has the desired mobility, toughness, and quick-game utility to function as an NFL backup, but his ceiling is likely capped beyond that.”
Also, Pavia’s immaturity and rowdy family are red flags in the eyes of teams.
“The whole schtick gets old,” an NFC scouting director said about Pavia. “Little bit of Johnny Football; it’s more lore and college bulls*** than it is really true mystique or allure or whatever. I just don’t think he’s overly talented. He’ll bounce around on a couple teams, just because he’s competitive. I think he’s smart and he’ll learn it and all that stuff. But you’ve got a runaround, RPO, college quarterback with an average arm.”
“He has fun off the field and hasn’t been secret about it. He’s got some brothers that he’s close with that can be around; they seem like a tight-knit group, and that’s one thing teams will be questioning, if he’ll be able to always make the right decisions to separate himself,” another scout added.
MORE: NFL UDFA Tracker 2026: Latest Undrafted Free Agent Signings Following the 2026 NFL Draft
Pavia’s brothers Roel and Javier repeatedly drew law-enforcement attention at Vanderbilt’s games, and Pavia has made it clear that they aren’t going anywhere.
“I don’t think he’s going to embrace being a backup,” said an AFC scouting director. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but he’s coming to take someone’s job and it’s going to be kind of an interesting dynamic wherever he goes. Because you know the fans are going to be calling for him wherever he goes. The brothers will be in the stands. During the interview process, most guys would [downplay it]. He embraces his brothers. ‘They’re coming with me. Those are my guys. They ain’t going anywhere.’”
Signing Pavia comes with a circus, and some teams may feel his game isn’t good enough to warrant the potential headaches he could cause.
Potential UDFA Landing Spots for Pavia
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have cemented themselves as one of the gold standards for integrating mobile quarterbacks.
With Lamar Jackson entrenched as the starter, Baltimore’s offensive infrastructure is already centered around the integration of designed quarterback runs and run-pass options (RPOs), both elements with which Pavia is certainly familiar.
It’s also worth noting that Baltimore did not use a pick on a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles did select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft: Cole Payton in the fifth round. They, too, have an entrenched starter in the sturdy and sufficiently athletic Jalen Hurts, whose game is not predicated on attacking the middle of the field.
Philadelphia subscribes to dependency on the pairing of running back Saquon Barkley and a sturdy offensive line to play the older-school, ball-control style of offense. Hurts is involved in said ground game, so Pavia’s addition would seemingly make sense.
Not that I am in any way comparing them as players, but there has been much speculation surrounding Philadelphia’s possible trading of reserve quarterback Tanner McKee. Perhaps that could enhance Pavia’s likelihood of a longer-term presence.
Chicago Bears
Generally, what teams covet or prioritize in a backup quarterback differs from the premiums they place on candidates for the starting job (naturally). But the theme remains the same here, as Chicago chose not to bolster its quarterback room in the draft.
Head coach Ben Johnson has established his identity as someone who constructs his offense behind heavy personnel: running and throwing out of 12- and 13-personnel, with a schematic play-action element.
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That, too, is something Pavia is familiar with from his time at Vanderbilt, as well as emulating the improvisational style of play at Caleb Williams’ disposal. Pavia lacks viable NFL traits, but if there were a single system to extract his utmost potential, it would be Chicago’s.
UFL or CFL
This isn’t a joke. Several former NFL players have come out and said that Pavia’s best bet is to sign in the UFL or CFL to showcase his game a bit more and prove that he can be a professional, and then use that as a springboard for NFL opportunities.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee wrote on X that he could be the perfect quarterback for the UFL.
“I think a lot of what made him fantastic for college was also gonna be what held him back as an NFL ‘prospect’.. Size, speed, style of play, personality.. you name it, all of it PERFECT for college not necessarily the prototypical NFL ‘prospect.’ If he gets in a building and finds success I’d be pumped for him and his family.. NOW If it doesn’t work out.. is he not the UFL QB Blueprint? Recognizable name.. can move.. not scared to promote UFL’s getting 800,000 viewers a game, which is good for spring ball, can bump that a bit with some name brands aht there… I think we all assume the clips, regardless of outcome, would go for a bit. Feels like an opportune time for the UFL.. and for the Pavia show.”
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci made a similar argument.
“If I was Diego Pavia and still want to play football I would call the @CFL and @TheUFL immediately,” he wrote. “No better way to shut people up and show them you’re serious about playing. Just have to go play somewhere at this point. I could see him having similar career to Doug Flutie up north.”
It remains to be seen if Pavia will actually consider these NFL alternatives, but if his phone isn’t ringing in the coming days, it’s not the worst option.
