Diego Pavia Makes Career Announcement on Friday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio G Losada | Last updated Jan 16, 2026 12:50 PM ET

The Vanderbilt Commodores closed the 2025 college football season with one of the most successful campaigns in program history, powered by a breakout season from quarterback Diego Pavia.

As expected, questions about Pavia's future followed quickly once the Commodores' season ended on New Year's Eve with a 34-27 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

During his senior season at Vanderbilt, Pavia started all 13 games and led the Commodores to a 10–3 record. His final year included multiple individual milestones and career-high figures in completions, passing yards and touchdowns.

On Friday, First Round Management made Pavia’s professional intentions official with a public announcement. The agency revealed on Instagram that Pavia had signed for NFL representation, confirming his declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft.

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“Welcome To The Family For NFL Representation @diego10pavia,” First Round Management posted on Instagram. “Let’s Work!”

Before he learns his NFL destination, Pavia will appear in the 2026 Senior Bowl, scheduled for Jan. 31 in Mobile, Alabama, after accepting an invitation to the event. The all-star showcase will mark Pavia's first major step in the predraft evaluation process.

During the 2025 season, Pavia threw for 3,539 yards with 29 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions, completing 70.6% of his attempts. Pavia also rushed for 862 yards on 167 carries and added 10 rushing touchdowns.

The dual-threat quarterback finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to the Indiana Hoosiers' quarterback Fernando Mendoza, becoming Vanderbilt’s first finalist for the award.

Vanderbilt Commodores Diego Pavia stands for a portrait.© NICOLE HESTER / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pavia’s collegiate career included stops at New Mexico Military Institute (junior college) and New Mexico State before he transferred to Vanderbilt in January 2024.

Pavia played in 27 games with the New Mexico State Aggies, racking up 4,423 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns, 1,431 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

In his college career, Pavia completed 766 passes for 10,255 yards and 88 touchdowns against 27 interceptions, adding 3,094 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns on 628 attempts.

Pavia is projected as a sixth-round selection in the upcoming draft, carries a No. 188 overall rank and is the consensus 10th-best quarterback in the 2026 class.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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