Heisman Finalist Diego Pavia Gets NFL Lifeline After 2026 Draft Snub

What Diego Pavia Could Bring to Baltimore

The Ravens head into 2026 with just two quarterbacks on the roster — Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. None of Baltimore's 11 draft picks addressed the position, and while the team has reportedly agreed to terms with 15 undrafted free agents, Pavia isn't part of that group.

He's coming in on an invite only, which keeps things low-stakes for the Ravens but still gives him a live look in front of NFL coaches.

His college resume makes the invite worth paying attention to. Across four seasons split between the New Mexico State Aggies and Vanderbilt Commodores, Pavia threw for 10,255 yards, ran for another 3,094 and accounted for 119 total touchdowns.

His final year at Vanderbilt was his best when he led the SEC with a 70.6% completion rate, threw 29 touchdowns and averaged 9.4 yards per attempt. His 4,402 total yards led every Power Four player and made up more than 70% of Vanderbilt's offense.

No other Heisman finalist that year crossed 50%. He also won games, going 17-9 at Vanderbilt with a famous upset of No. 1 Alabama in 2024 and a 10-win regular season that included four wins over ranked opponents.

The Questions That Followed Diego Pavia

The production was real but so were the concerns. Size was the first issue scouts flagged. Seeing over NFL-caliber linemen and delivering throws into tight windows is a legitimate worry for a quarterback built the way Pavia is.

Then there's durability as he relies on his legs, and absorbing hits from bigger, faster defenders at this level is a different proposition entirely.

And his behavior following the 2025 Heisman Trophy ceremony drew attention for the wrong reasons, adding a maturity question to an already complicated draft profile.

Baltimore's first-round pick, guard Olaivavega Ioane, headlined the Ravens' draft class. Pavia is a long shot by any measure. But he's earned his shot at minicamp, and what he does with it is the only thing that matters now.