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Vanderbilt's Quarterback Is Making More Than Shedeur Sanders This Year

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 5:06 PM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia are famous among their fans for very different reasons. Sanders was a superstar for the Colorado Buffaloes who completed an NCAA record 72-percent of his passes during two sensational years under his famous father. Pavia was an above-average quarterback for the Commodores whose claim to fame is an historic 400-35 upset win over No. 1 Alabama.

Yet while Sanders is an NFL quarterback now and paid professionally for his services to one of the biggest sports franchises in America, he won't be making as much as Pavia does for the smallest team in the Southeastern Conference.

According to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports, Pavia is set to earn upwards of $2 million with the Commodores this season through NIL deals. By contrast, Shedeur's rookie contract with the Browns is set to pay him just under $1.3 million in 2025.

Granted, the amount doesn't account for the unspecified value of Shedeur's endorsement deals with brands like Nike, so by year's end he will probably pocket more money than Pavia does. But it really is quite a contrast in how things are now versus how they were before.

NEW: Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia is set to make north of $2M this season, @PeteNakos_ reports⚓️https://t.co/qkO15K1gDn https://t.co/28xn5abNOw pic.twitter.com/2qAInYRib1
— On3 (@On3sports) August 21, 2025

Shedeur's claim to fame

Even before joining the Buffaloes with his father Deion Sanders in 2023, Shedeur Sanders showed promise as a signal caller. In two years at Jackson State (also playing for Coach Prime), Shedeur went 23-3 as a starter with 70 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions during his two years with the Tigers, winning back-to-back conference titles.

But Colorado was where he and star wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter really took center stage. Over their two years in Colorado, the two would be one of the most prolific passing combinations in college football, culminating in countless accolades and a Heisman Trophy win for Hunter this past season.

Hunter would wind up going No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Sanders would fall all the way to the fifth-round to the Browns. Sanders is still trying to secure his spot on the Browns roster for the 2025 NFL season.

May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talks to the media during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesKen Blaze-Imagn Images.

Pavia's claim to fame

Following two years at the New Mexico Military Institute, Diego Pavia put up solid numbers at New Mexico State between 2022 and 2023, but success with the Aggies has rarely ever impressed anyone in the Power Five. He changed that with one performance against the almighty Crimson Tide in 2024.

Going 16-of-20 for 252 yards and two touchdowns while running for 56 yards, Pavia helped the Commodores pull off a stunning 40-35 win that marked first-ever win over a top-five team in Vanderbilt's history.

He achieved arguably a bigger win after the season, defeating the NCAA in a bid to achieve a sixth year of college football eligibility. That extra will not only be the difference in millions of dollars for Pavia, but could wind up being the difference between having a career in pro football or not.

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

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