“If they want to win, come get me,” Diego Pavia has confidence in NFL future

Atlanta–NFL evaluators could have some concerns regarding aspects of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s game.  

Some may believe his 2024 season–in which he was 11th in the SEC in passing yards–left something to be desired on tape. Some believe his arm strength and speed aren’t special enough to translate to the next level. The Vanderbilt quarterback’s height–which is listed at 6-foot, but he admits is closer to 5-foot-10–may be off-putting to scouts, too. The measurables and stats likely aren’t putting Pavia high on NFL radars at this stage of his career. 

Pavia believes they should think again, though. 

“If they want to win, come get me,” Pavia said. “That’s what I’ve gotta say.” 

It’s almost as if the nearly 60 media members surrounding Pavia’s stand in the College Football Hall of Fame remember why the question was worthy of being asked as he utters his answer. The Vanderbilt quarterback possesses a nearly tangible confidence that often makes everyone around him believe that he can do what he puts his mind to in the midst of physical limitations. 

Pavia has proven that his edge can propel him to doing what others believe is impossible. The Vanderbilt quarterback was at the center of Vanderbilt’s five-win increase in 2025 and was its focal point as it turned from the SEC’s punching bag to a team that knocked off No. 1 Alabama and beat Jordan Hare Stadium. 

Some within Vanderbilt’s program didn’t appear to believe that a season like that was possible for them before Pavia’s arrival. They found out that it is with him leading, though. As a result, they’re betting on his career leading him to the place that his adversaries don’t believe it can. 

“This is a guy that's going to have a great finish to his career, great NFL career,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea declared. “He's going to be a coach someday. He will have a microphone in front of him for the rest of his life and the world needs him to. He's that kind of person. He needs to be himself.”

With Pavia’s intended next step in mind, Lea has stepped in and reminded Pavia of the weight of what he says. The Vanderbilt head coach doesn’t want his quarterback to lose any piece of the forward-facing confidence that got him to where he is in the national spotlight. He also doesn’t want him to jeopardize his future because of the spectacle he puts on at the podium, though. 

The key for Pavia at the podium is to convey what he believes to be the truth about his personality rather than confirming others’ negative perception surrounding him. He’s been intentional about not falling for bait that would put him in a certain light nationally, he’s gone out of his way to amplify his teammates with the spotlight he’s been given rather than himself. He still commands the room the same way he did before receiving some PR advice, though. 

“I don’t want these NFL teams to think I’m a disruptive kid or something like that,” Pavia said. “I want them to know that I’m a true competitor and I just believe in myself. Maybe some people call me delusional, but you kinda have to be delusional to go out there and win every single game.” 

Delusional or not, Pavia won’t stop talking about the NFL and the future that he believes he has within it. That would be unlike him. 

When Pavia stops speaking about the NFL, you’ll know a toned-down clone version of him has replaced him at the podium. If he’s anything like his football idol Johnny Manziel or Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen–who he says he is in the “same mold” of–he won’t stop talking about his future at the next level. 

He truly believes in what he’s saying, too.