He was a Heisman finalist who transformed a program, but Diego Pavia’s phone never rang during the NFL Draft. Now, Pat McAfee believes the very things that made him a college star are what are holding him back. And he has a different path in mind for the QB.

“I loved what Diego Pavia did for college ball,” McAfee tweeted. “Just an absolute sensation. Turning Vanderbilt into a football school quickly. I think a lot of what made him fantastic for College was also gonna be what held him back as an NFL “prospect.” Size, speed, style of play, personality. You name it, all of it PERFECT for college, not necessarily the prototypical NFL “prospect.”

Diego Pavia has earned so much praise for his role in the Commodores’ transformation in 2025, when the team posted its best record in program history with a 10-3. He threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns and ran for 862 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, with a 70.6% pass completion percentage. His exploits earned him a Heisman Trophy finalist finish.

Despite all of these accolades, Pavia was not among the 256 players selected in the NFL draft. Again, he is not one of the 11 undrafted free agents signed by NFL teams. However, not getting selected by an NFL team is not the end of the world for football players.

“If he gets in a building and finds success, I’d be pumped for him and his family,” McAfee added. “Now, if it doesn’t work out… is he not the UFL QB Blueprint? Recognizable name.. can move.. not scared to promote. UFL’s getting 800,000 viewers a game, which is good for spring ball, can bump that a bit with some name brands out there… I think we all assume the clips, regardless of outcome, would go for a bit.”

The UFL has become a great opportunity for late bloomers and players who get overlooked in the NFL draft. Birmingham Stallions’ QB Adrian Martinez, who didn’t have a great college career at Nebraska and Kansas State, was the MVP of the league two years ago. That even got him another look from the Jets.

Jake Bates’ story is even more surprising. The former Arkansas kickoff specialist never attempted a field goal in college. As a result, he was overlooked by NFL scouts but grabbed headlines when he hit a 64-yard game-winning field goal in the season opener for the Michigan Panthers. His fortunes turned even better than Martinez’s. The Detroit Lions noticed him, and now he has a multi-year contract with Dan Campbell’s team.

However, for Pavis to succeed at any level, there is one major flaw he may need to address.

Diego Pavia’s major flaw

Beyond his physical limitations, Pavia has had a couple of instances of behavioral issues that seem to quickly distract people from his exploits on the field. And it goes back way before he made a name for Vandy. In 2023, he posted a video of himself urinating on the University of New Mexico’s practice field because he felt disrespected after not being offered a scholarship. Although he did some community service and apologized to his team, he did not apologize to UNM.

After gaining much popularity with his Heisman nomination last season, he again showed a degree of immaturity when he missed out on the award. Posting his photo with some of his offensive line teammates, he wrote the caption, “f−-k all the voters.” And in a celebration after the award ceremony, he also made a video and gave his finger to a sign that read “F— Indiana.”

Despite his apology afterward, his actions were badly received by the public, and the impressions would never be erased. His last bet remains the UFL, as McAfee suggested, with the hope that they overlook his flaws and give him the platform to showcase his skills.