$2 Million QB Dealt Blunt Reality Check After Senior Bowl Controversy – Sports Illustrated

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While William Shakespeare penned that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweetly, he didn't say a thing about an NFL quarterback and his height. In an episode of The Triple Option podcast, ESPN's Todd McShay took a strong stance toward a QB whose height has become a significant story.
While most NFL quarterbacks are tall, there have been some who weren't. While 5'7" Eddie LeBaron was a 1950s standout, more recent QBs with size concerns include 5'10" Doug Flutie, 5'10" Kyler Murray, and 5'10" Bryce Young. But does height matter? Todd McShay was happy to clarify.
Vanderbilt listed Diego Pavia at 6' tall. That ended up being optimistic, as Pavia measured at the Senior Bowl at 5' 9 7/8". But is that a big deal?
"Height absolutely matters," said McShay. "You have to be really special to overcome. It's one thing to be like 6', 6'1", it's another to be 5'10", 5'11"."
McShay pointed out some diminutive quarterbacks who made it work despite their height, like Young and 5'11" Russell Wilson. But there's another problem for the ESPN analyst.
"Then you watch him throw the football, and he doesn't quite throw it like Bryce," continued McShay. "Certainly doesn't [throw] like Russell Wilson." McShay contemplated Pavia in the context of Senior Bowl QBs like Garrett Nussmeier and Luke Altmyer.
"And then there was Diego– one of these didn't fit," said McShay. "The ball just doesn't come out with a lot of juice." McShay concluded, "I'll be shocked if he's an NFL starter. I don't even know how much value you have as a backup, if I'm being completely honest."
Pavia had a long and interesting journey as an undersized dual-threat QB. He played two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute and then moved up to New Mexico State. By his last year at NSMU, Pavia had improved to the point where he passed for 2,973 yards and 26 scores while rushing for an additional 923 yards and seven touchdowns.
He then came to Vanderbilt along with NMSU coach Jerry Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck and jump-started a doormant Vanderbilt program. Pavia, who took on the NCAA to earn a sixth season of college football, then ended up finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race in 2025 after throwing for 3,539 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for another 862 yards and 10 scores.
But the pint-sized passer is 24 years old and shorter than reported. His NFL Draft prospects are not optimistic, and McShay explained the two major issues that Pavia faces moving forward.
Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.
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