For a Heisman finalist who dominated the SEC, Diego Pavia hoped that his heroics last year would put him in a favorable position in the draft. The Vandy QB was the architect of Clark Lea’s team’s success. However, his NFL future is still shockingly bleak, according to one top draft insider.

“I’m not drafting [Pavia] in the NFL,” Todd McShay said on the Triple Option podcast on February 17. “I’d be shocked if he’s an NFL starter. I don’t even know how much value you have as a backup if I’m being completely honest. [It’s] hard to say that because I have so much respect for what he did in the SEC and the way he overcame what he had to overcome. I don’t know if it’s in the UFL or what it is, but I hate the fact that it’ll be the end of his career because he’s just a really good football player.”

According to McShay, while Pavia is a gunslinger in practice, he struggles to make NFL-level throws in one-on-ones, with his passes lacking the necessary ‘juice’ to drive the ball downfield.

Pavia’s biggest roadblock right now is his height. He measured 5’9″ at the Senior Bowl, which is clearly not the 6’1″ Vanderbilt claimed he was. NFL teams do not usually draft quarterbacks at that height unless they produce something exceptional, like Bryce Young or Russell Wilson.

But Pavia, at 5’9” 7/8, is pretty much blinded when it comes to NFL-level defenses. His throwing lanes will be affected because of an already tall offensive line. And if he’s faced with 6 ft+ defensive ends or linebackers dropping back, he won’t be able to see past them because of his height.

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To make matters worse, the Vanderbilt QB didn’t have a great showing at the Senior Bowl. He made a fiery start by finding Justin Holy (NC State) for an 18-yard pass, his first of the day, and a classic Pavia explosive play. His game started to spiral after an exchange with RB Seth McGowan resulted in a fumble.

The QB tried to fix the damage by attempting to peanut-punch it out of DL Gracen Helton, but the fumble was still recovered by the American team at the end. The QB also didn’t get to see a lot of time on the field. This fumble was followed by a three-and-out, and he only returned in the second half.  Pavia went 10-of-13 in passes and threw for 78 yards.

Day 1 and Day 2 seem to be out for him. He might go the Shedeur Sanders arc and slip downwards to be a Day 3 pick. Or, the more probable outcome is that he becomes a priority UDFA. Pavia has tried to maintain a strong front in the wake of the controversy around his height and has even claimed that he’d “die for the team.” That relentless spirit is also a great trait to have in Pavia. But will he get the chance to show it in the NFL?

Despite the concerns, one particular team might provide that opportunity: the Green Bay Packers.

Diego Pavia is in contact with the Packers

Diego Pavia, despite having thrown for more yards than the expected No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, is expected to be drafted much later among quarterbacks. However, he still has the attention of an interesting party. The Green Bay Packers met with and interviewed Pavia at the Senior Bowl, which suggests he isn’t a complete lost cause at the moment.

The Packers are in the market for a replacement for Malik Willis, who backed up starting QB Jordan Love for three years. It’s not what Pavia might have hoped for, but he can still prove his worth as the No. 2 in the QB room. If selected by the Packers, he will have to fight Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord. Pavia, with his dual-threat capacity and accuracy, can at least get a shot.

The franchise has also met with Northern Iowa’s Darryl Overstreet Jr., Miami (OH)’s Dequann Finn, and UT-Martin’s Jase Bauer. Pavia outranks them by miles. Green Bay will be taking on a risk in the Vanderbilt QB, but he still has enough good in him to be seen as a worthwhile investment.