For a moment, Diego Pavia’s NFL aspirations faltered because he went undrafted. However, the Baltimore Ravens gave him a chance by first inviting him to minicamp.
Eventually, the Ravens signed the former Vanderbilt standout to a three-year contract, the terms of which remain undisclosed. This update had one former Super Bowl-winning head coach fired up.
Jon Gruden Expresses Support for Diego Pavia
Gruden, now working for Barstool Sports, quoted a tweet from ESPN insider Adam Schefter announcing Pavia’s contract. The man who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl 37 reacted, “Congrats, Diego!! It’s go time!”
Pavia will have the opportunity to showcase his football talent, which helped Vanderbilt achieve its first 10-win season. Furthermore, his 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns made him a finalist for the 2025 Heisman Trophy. According to PFSN’s CFB QB Impact Metric, Pavia posted a 94.8 impact score last year, which was the best in the nation.
Unfortunately, he finished second in the voting to College Football Playoff National Champion and 2026 NFL Draft first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.
Congrats, Diego!! It’s go time! https://t.co/rOZt5loyuX
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) April 28, 2026
Like the other prospects, Pavia spent time at “Gruden QB Class.” The former Buccaneers and Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders head coach said, “If you don’t like Diego Pavia, you just don’t like football. This guy has won where people don’t win. Nobody has ever won at New Mexico State, this guy took them to two bowl games. Nobody wins 10 games at Vanderbilt on the football field. He beat Alabama, he beat Auburn three times, he beat LSU, and he beat Tennessee in Knoxville. He is a contagious vibe, man.”
Meanwhile, as written on his scouting report by PFSN: “Pavia’s analytics inspire hope; he’s an efficient, fairly accurate passer who avoids ill-advised risks, and he boasts a juiced-up and gritty running style. However, his on-field evaluation does leave questions.”
Unfortunately, despite planning a draft party to celebrate a milestone, Pavia did not hear his name called among the 257 picks. He became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since Jordan Lynch to go undrafted.
While he had impressive numbers at Vanderbilt, Diego Pavia’s height (measured at 5-foot-10 at the NFL Combine) and off-field brashness might have turned off all 32 teams, including the Ravens. Furthermore, his PFSN scouting report reads, “His processing isn’t quite NFL-caliber, nor is his arm strength, and even his athleticism might not be as prevalent against NFL talent. Pavia has the desired mobility, toughness, and quick-game utility to function as an NFL backup, but his ceiling is likely capped beyond that.”
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Though the Ravens gave Pavia an opening, he must still earn his spot on the final roster because Baltimore also signed former University of Connecticut quarterback Joe Fagnano to a similar three-year contract.
With their additions, Baltimore now has four quarterbacks on its roster, with Pavia and Fagnano behind two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.
