Diego Pavia built his college reputation on daring opponents to stop him and having the numbers to back up every word. At Vanderbilt, he outproduced Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in total yardage, threw for 3,539 yards, and led a long-struggling Commodores program to a 10-win campaign in 2025. Yet when the 2026 Draft arrived, front offices looked past his tape and focused on his 5-foot-10 frame, leaving the Heisman runner-up undrafted.

A UDFA signing with the Baltimore Ravens offered a quick look, but finding a path forward behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley was an uphill climb. The Ravens waived him on July 23 to open a roster spot for veteran offensive lineman Ethan Pocic. While skeptics viewed the summer exit as proof his style wouldn’t work in the pros, Pavia broke his silence on Wednesday to announce that active contract talks are underway for a move to the United Football League.

“appreciate everyone reaching out with everything on my career,” Pavia wrote on X. “My agent @malkikawa and the UFL are currently in negotiations to make this happen! whatever team I end up at, I can promise you one thing- You will get everything I got 💯.”

Tagging Malki Kawa, founder and CEO of First Round Management, marked a sharp reversal from the public stance Diego Pavia took leading into the draft. During an April appearance on Jon Gruden’s QB Camp, Pavia adamantly insisted he would navigate his pro career without any representation to avoid paying commissions.

“I’m representing myself,” Pavia had said. “I didn’t think it was fair that someone was gonna represent me and take five to 10 percent… Ain’t nobody taking my money. I’ll tell you that.”

That decision drew immediate criticism from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who argued that experienced agents provide the front office connections and pre-draft leverage that many prospects need. Partnering with Kawa now shows Pavia is adapting his business strategy to maximize his playing opportunities and build leverage for another shot at football.

Now, his current pivot to the UFL aligns with what Pat McAfee has urged the quarterback to do following his draft slide. Highlighting Diego Pavia’s recognizable profile, scrambling ability, and knack for self-promotion, McAfee had publicly labeled him the “UFL QB Blueprint” and argued that he would be an ideal fit to headline the spring league if an NFL roster spot didn’t work out.

While the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold his Canadian negotiating rights, the UFL provides immediate domestic visibility. The spring league is set to hold its 2027 draft on November 18 in Missouri, where the Columbus Aviators hold the No. 1 overall pick. Pavia meets the player pool criteria, which requires prospects from the 2023-26 classes to have been a part of an NFL roster after July 13, 2026. What’s more, UFL co-owner Mike Repole has also backed up that vision, previously stating that he’d sign Pavia up the day after he comes to him.

Spring football has already proven to be a viable bridge back to the league. Dallas Cowboys’ All-Pro placekicker Brandon Aubrey got his start with the Birmingham Stallions, while returner KaVontae Turpin leveraged an MVP season with the New Jersey Generals into a Pro Bowl NFL career.

For Diego Pavia, heading to the UFL offers live game reps and a platform to force NFL scouts to take another look. Time will tell if those looks turn into something bigger, but Pavia has all the skills to make that happen.