Diego Pavia Is Getting Crushed For NFL Draft Party

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 4:39 PM ET

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia might have realized going into the NFL Draft that he wasn't going to get taken in the first few rounds. But his decision to have a draft party regardless is certainly... a choice.

Despite the success he enjoyed with the Commodores over the past two years, which included an historic season in 2025, Pavia received absolutely no hype and almost minimal press coverage heading into this draft. QBs like Cade Klubnik and Drew Allar who had far more struggles in 2025 got more pre-draft buzz than he did.

Nevertheless, Pavia decided to hold a draft party at his home, and even has an entire table filled with hats representing the 32 NFL teams.

The setup for Diego Pavia’s draft party. We will see where the Vanderbilt QB goes. @WKRN pic.twitter.com/66iMsshgYC
— Julian Mininsohn (@JMininsohn) April 25, 2026

But with the draft midway through the sixth round and Pavia's phone still not ringing, fans are having a fun time mocking him for even assuming he'd be drafted at all:

"It's crazy to have a draft party if you will MAYBE get picked in the last round...." one user on X mocked.

"He and Clark Lea accomplished something I didn’t think possible - they transformed Vandy from a fun Cinderella story into a whiny, annoying, completely unlikeable team…and no one better encapsulated that transformation than the QB," another wrote.

"Why are there no XFL hats on the table?" a third remarked.

"Unfortunately he’ll be in the Canada league best case scenario."

"He’s about to get a shipment of UFL hats."

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 5: Diego Pavia #2 of the Vanderbilt Commodores speaks to the SEC Network after the win against the Alabama Crimson Tide at FirstBank Stadium on October 5, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)Carly Mackler/Getty Images

King of Vanderbilt

Pavia became one of the most impactful players in Vanderbilt football history after transferring in for the 2024 season. In 2024, he immediately transformed the Vanderbilt Commodores offense with his toughness, mobility, and playmaking ability. Pavia passed for 2,293 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions while rushing for 801 yards and 8 touchdowns in 13 games. The biggest win of his career came early as he led the team to a stunning upset over then-No. 1 Alabama.

He followed that breakout year with an even better 2025 season, leading Vanderbilt to one of the best campaigns in school history. Pavia completed 267 of 378 passes (70.6%) for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. His performance earned him SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors and a runner-up finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.

But as we've seen countless times throughout NFL history, there isn't a correlation between success in college and success in the pros. It sure helps, but not every all-time great college star becomes even a semi-decent NFL player.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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