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For NFL teams in search of a franchise quarterback, the consensus around the 2026 class of signal callers is that this is by the weakest class in recent memory.
Outside of Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, there isn't a lock in the class for another quarterback to go in the first round. With that being said, because of the murkiness behind Mendoza, there are a handful of quarterbacks that are vying to sneak into the first round or at the very least, just move up draft boards a tad.
One of those quarterbacks is Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia, who walks away from college football as a program legend. In his two years in Nashville, Pavia threw for 5,832 yards with 49 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,662 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground en route to leading Vandy to its first 10-win season in program history this year. Pavia had also been offered $4 million to transfer to another SEC school after his first year, but chose to stay at Vanderbilt.
This past season, he kept the Commodores within striking distance of making the College Football Playoff, and even helped the program earn its highest AP Poll ranking (No. 9) since 1937.
Despite his tremendous accolades, bold personality and strong leadership qualities, The Ringer's Todd McShay revealed earlier in the week that he doesn't view Pavia as an NFL quarterback.
"I don't think Diego Pavia can play quarterback in the NFL," McShay said. "You watch him during team sessions and you watch him during some of the seven-on-seven stuff and there's some fun things to watch, man. Arm angle changes, on the move, initial play breaks down…He just has unbelievable instincts. And I think that's part of what made him so special at Vanderbilt and why they won all those games.
"But when you watch him just like the one-on-ones, seven-on-sevens having to drive the ball, NFL throws…it's not the same as the other guys."
McShay said that when he was watching Pavia alongside other top players at the Senior Bowl, it made him wonder whether his "limitations" are simply too much to overcome. While Pavia has all of the stats and accolades, he measured in at a little over 5-foot-9, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL.
Being doubted isn't new to Pavia, who started his college career at the New Mexico Military Institute before he got his first shot at New Mexico State. With that being said, Saturday's Senior Bowl outing could either really help or hurt his chances of hearing his name called in this year's draft.
Kevin Borba is a credentialed media member who has been a content creator for multiple sports media outlets including Locked On, FanNation and the USA TODAY Sports Wires. Kevin studied at California State University, Stanislaus, and Quinnipiac University. He holds a masters degree in sports journalism, and is always ready to talk about all things sports.
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