As soon as the NFL Draft ends, teams scramble to sign the top undrafted free agents to UDFA contracts. Every year, we see a number of undrafted players make a 53-man roster, and that should be no different this season. This year, one of the most discussed undrafted free agents is former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
He was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last season, but no one saw him as an NFL-caliber quarterback, largely because of his size. However, he will still get the opportunity to show what he can do, as the Baltimore Ravens signed him. It didn’t take long for Pavia to stand out during Baltimore’s rookie minicamp, but not for the reason he hoped.
NFL World Mocks Diego Pavia’s Height at Ravens’ Rookie Minicamp
These minicamps are a chance for rookies to get accustomed to their new teams and learn the playbook before the rest of the team joins them on the field in about a month. Pavia will get plenty of chances to show the Ravens he deserves to make the team.
As clips of Pavia at rookie minicamp started to surface, the NFL world couldn’t believe how small he looked while standing next to NFL players.
“He might be 5’6″,” one podcaster wrote, although his listed height is 6-foot and he measured in at 5-foot-10⅛ inches at the NFL Combine.
He might be 5’6” 😬 https://t.co/awChDTHEC4
— HARD FACTOR (@HardFactorNews) May 2, 2026
A QB’s height tends to be important since it impacts their vision, so it’s understandable why Pavia’s size is drawing such strong reactions. Some people laughed at the idea of Pavia handing off to Derrick Henry, one of the NFL’s biggest running backs.
“I wanna see all 5’6 of Diego Pavia handing off to 6’3 Derrick Henry,” said one fantasy influencer.
I wanna see all 5’6 of Diego Pavia handing off to 6’3 Derrick Henry https://t.co/76gfo3K6DX
— Akash (@YZR_Fantasy) May 3, 2026
“Diego Pavia is looking smaller than a kicker,” Polymarket Football chimed in.
“Rude of the Ravens to invite Diego Pavia to their mini-camp instead of their regular-size camp,” one user joked.
It did not help matters that Pavia was standing next to a massive offensive lineman.
“To be fair to Pavia, Nick Dawkins (the center) is 6’5 and a very high waisted guy so it makes it look much worse,” college football analyst Landon Tengwall explained.
Still, his lack of size is hard to ignore. And with how big linemen are in the NFL, it raises concerns over whether Pavia will have a hard time seeing his receivers once the ball is snapped and his linemen come out of their stances.
“Look at 53 and look at Diego Pavia and tell me he’s not going to struggle mightily trying to see passing lanes around his OL,” The Bulldawg Report wrote.
Someone tried to tell me that the height of a QB makes no difference in the NFL.
Look at 53 and look at Diego Pavia and tell me he’s not going to struggle mightily trying to see passing lanes around his OL. https://t.co/FWght2TSeZ
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) May 3, 2026
Pavia did not seem to have much trouble with his size in college. However, NFL players are much larger, and the game moves much faster, which could be an issue for the undrafted rookie.
Diego Pavia lining up behind the Ravens’ center: https://t.co/J3KBk4476W pic.twitter.com/Em3OXKFGil
— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) May 2, 2026
We are likely to see memes like this all offseason and preseason long, and it will be interesting to see if Pavia can do enough with the Ravens to make the roster or at least secure a spot on the practice squad.
Pavia’s NFL Scouting Report
Pavia was one of the stars of the 2025 college football season. He began his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute after being overlooked as a high scool recruit, and leveraged a dominant second season at NMMI into an opportunity with the New Mexico State Aggies.
With the Aggies, Pavia distinguished himself as a dynamic two-phase playmaker, and eventually ascended to the SEC as Vanderbilt’s field general.
In 2025, Pavia was a Heisman finalist, and earned the top PFSN QB Impact score in the nation with a grade of 94.8, finishing above Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (93.3).
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.
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.
