Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was not selected in the 2026 NFL Draft and wasn’t offered an undrafted free agent deal by any team either. On Sunday, though, the Baltimore Ravens invited Pavia to next weekend’s rookie minicamp. Pavia accepted the invitation.
Pavia, who was among the Heisman Trophy finalists before losing to the first overall draft pick, Fernando Mendoza, caught some flak for a fake post about him that depicted him as abusing the NFL. A former Pittsburgh Steelers player, though, also had a few things to say.
Diego Pavia Gets Support From Breiden Fehoko
Former Steelers defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko reposted a post on X from Shane Tuttle, who had his own remarks on Pavia’s alleged Instagram post.
“This is insane that this is a bot page posting this and a fake image as well,” Fehoko wrote on X. “To see the amount of traction people believing it is why I will always speak the truth on here. Trying to tear down a kid image when he ain’t said nothing is crazy.”
Tuttle’s account is a parody, and in the fake post, he showed that Pavia shared a story on his Instagram account, then deleted it, in which he said, “F**k the NFL, I write my own path.”
This is insane that this is a bot page posting this and a fake image as well. To see the amount of traction people believing it is why I will always speak the truth on here. Trying to tear down a kid image when he ain’t said nothing is crazy. https://t.co/gh9PrA8LCA
— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) April 26, 2026
Fehoko, who played his college football at LSU, played 19 games across three seasons for the Los Angeles Chargers. He then joined the Steelers’ practice squad, but on August 18, 2025, he was released, and hasn’t returned to the NFL.
Fehoko came out to defend Pavia, as the former Vanderbilt star already has a reputation for being bold. Fake posts like this could have affected his future in football. However, Pavia now has an opportunity with the Ravens to look forward to, and hopefully, he will make the best of it.
Pavia was ranked No. 13 among college quarterbacks on PFSN’s Big Board before the draft and had a prospect score of 64.9.
MORE: PFSN’s 2026 NFL UDFA Tracker
PFSN’s scouting report on Pavia gives a detailed answer to why he went undrafted. “His processing isn’t quite NFL-caliber, nor is his arm strength, and even his athleticism might not be as prevalent against NFL talent,” the report noted. “Pavia has the desired mobility, toughness, and quick-game utility to function as an NFL backup, but his ceiling is likely capped beyond that.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
He also measured 5’10” and 207 pounds at the NFL Combine, ranking in the 1st and 10th percentiles among draft prospects, respectively. While he performed well in college, his physical limitations have clearly affected his chances in the NFL.
Pavia, though, has a former NFL player in his corner, offering the quarterback some support amid online discussion.
