Come April 23, the sure-fire first overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft is expected to be Fernando Mendoza, but there are other quarterbacks that fans should keep their eyes on.
One of those quarterbacks is Diego Pavia, who loves the media spotlight, except when it comes to his height. After receiving criticism for his height during the pre-draft process, the Vanderbilt star has finally responded to the doubters.
Diego Pavia Responds to Height Criticism
Pavia got his start in college football playing at the JUCO level for New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to New Mexico State. Following that, Vanderbilt and head coach Clark Lea recruited Pavia to be their next quarterback, and he became their new star.
In 2025, Vanderbilt finished the college football season with a 10-3 record, just missing the College Football Playoffs. A major factor in that was Pavia’s tremendous play.
In PFSN’s College Football Quarterback Impact Metric, Pavia ranked as the best quarterback in college, with an impact score of 94.8 and a letter grade of A, even topping Heisman winner and potential first overall pick, Mendoza.
In 13 games, Pavia completed 70.6% of his passes for 3539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while only throwing eight interceptions. As a runner, he rushed for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on a staggering 167 attempts.
The next step for Pavia is the NFL Draft, and despite his excellent play, he’s been receiving criticism for his height.
According to PFSN’s 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, Pavia measured to be 5’10” at his Pro Day and at the NFL Draft Combine. Relative to other quarterbacks, this places him in the 1st percentile, which means that 99% of other quarterbacks measure taller than him.
Despite the height criticism, Pavia had the following to say on “Gruden’s QB Class“:
“The guys I’m playing every single Saturday are the guys you’re drafting first round,” Pavia said. “So why does 5’10’ really even matter? Go watch the tape.”
Despite the poor height measurables, one thing that Pavia can control is his play. Even though people feel different types of ways about his attitude or arrogance, one thing is for sure: he can play football.
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Pavia currently ranks 14th in PFSN’s Big Board out of all quarterbacks with an average overall draft ranking of 234.5. With there being 257 draft selections, there’s a decent chance that Pavia might not even get drafted. Instead, he might be signed as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).
Pavia might never be a starting-caliber player in the NFL and might be better suited for a backup role. However, given the underdog story he’s been through, if the opportunity comes to compete for the starting spot, you better believe he’s going to give it his all.
