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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602272726
Imago
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602272726
The 2026 NFL Draft was equal parts exciting and equal parts a head scratcher. From the Los Angeles Rams stunning everyone by getting Ty Simpson to the heist of Makai Lemon that left the Steelers reeling, the weekend was all about head-turning moves. But the most striking moment didn’t come with a name being called, it came after the final pick. When the 257 selection passed, Diego Pavia still remained undrafted. And the reason might surprise you.
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Now there is no doubt that Pavia has had a legendary season this time around. He led Vanderbilt to the first double-digit win year in program history. He threw 29 touchdowns and ran for 10 more during the 10-3 season. Yet, he went undrafted and 32 teams passed on him. But just when it felt like the story reached its uncomfortable ending, a second chance opened up. Except not the kind he would have liked.
Adam Schefter dropped an update that kept the door cracked open. According to sources, Diego Pavia accepted a rookie minicamp invitation from the Baltimore Ravens. It’s not a signing, and there’s nothing guaranteed, but at this point, this opportunity is everything.
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The strange part isn’t just that he went undrafted; it’s how quickly everything else kept moving without him. Within hours of the NFL Draft wrapping up, teams started scooping up QBs who slipped through the cracks. Former Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar didn’t hear his name called either, but the Jacksonville Jaguars moved quickly to bring him in. Then there’s Haynes King, who landed with the Carolina Panthers. And this is also not all.
Vanderbilt undrafted free agent QB Diego Pavia accepted an invitation to next weekend’s minicamp with the Baltimore Ravens, per source. pic.twitter.com/5nBIH1rHc7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2026
Mark Gronowski got picked up by the Miami Dolphins while the Las Vegas Raiders took a swing on Jacob Clark, another traits-based pickup. It’s the same story with Luke Altmyer heading to the Detroit Lions. And then there’s Jalon Daniels (to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Miller Moss (to the Chicago Bears), and Kyron Drones (to the Green Bay Packers). The question is, what might be the reason?
Because Diego Pavia finished his college career with 10,255 passing yards, 88 touchdowns, and a 62.2% completion rate. If you look at his final season stats (3,539 yards, 29 scores), you just have to wonder what went wrong. Former NFL QB Jim Everett didn’t hesitate to drop his observation after .
He’s seen this before with talented college players who check every box except the one the NFL prioritizes, which is physical projection. “Do your own research,” he said. “In the modern era of football, there are zero QBs under six feet in the Hall of Fame.”
And once you fall outside that filter with Pavia sitting at only 5-foot-10, everything else gets viewed through a different lens. Everett took it a step further, saying the NFL isn’t rewarding what you’ve done, but rather, it’s projecting what you might become. And if teams think you’ve already hit your ceiling, they’ll take someone less proven but someone they can still shape.
Maybe that’s why Diego Pavia became the first Heisman finalist since Jordan Lynch in 2014 to go undrafted. But he still has a chance. The Baltimore Ravens didn’t sign him or promise him anything. Still, that chance is the thing he’s been asking for since draft night ended.
Deion Sanders’ emotional message to Diego Pavia
Diego Pavia entered the 2025 season as one of college football’s brightest names. However, he watched all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft pass without a single call. “Coach Prime” offered public support for the former Vanderbilt quarterback.
“I believe in you, my man! Stay strong and don’t let up,” Sanders said on X. “Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget. Much love and god bless you.” There is also a personal reason behind it.
You see just a year before, his son Sheudeur Sanders too endured a dramatic draft slide in the 2025 NFL Draft. He fell far below projections before finally being selected in the fifth round by the Browns. Sanders had delivered a great season at Colorado, in the final year throwing 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Then in the NFL, Sanders appeared in eight games for Cleveland, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. That shared experience of waiting longer than expected, of hearing doubts outweigh all the accolades, is what ties Sanders’ story to Pavia’s moment now. And it also is why Colorado head coach Deion Sanders so understanding about the Pavia situation.
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Himanga Mahanta