Deion Sanders Turns Heads With Support for Diego Pavia After NFL Draft – Sports Illustrated

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Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders showed support for former Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia. The 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist went undrafted in the the 2026 NFL Draft. 
Deion Sanders took to social media to voice support for Pavia. 
“I believe in you my man! Stay strong and don’t let up,” Sanders said on X. “Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget. Much love and god bless you.”
@diegopavia02 “I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN! Stay strong and don’t let up. Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget. Much Love & God bless you. #PRIME
Diego Pavia spent the past two seasons with Vanderbilt. His best season was in 2025, where he threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while also rushing for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. 
Before Pavia got to Vanderbilt in 2024, the Commodores were in the midst of a five-year drought in which they failed to make a bowl game. With Pavia as the quarterback, they made a bowl game in both of the seasons he started. In 2025, he led Vanderbilt to their first 10-win season in program history. 
Pavia was one of four finalists for the 2025 Heisman trophy along with Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love. Mendoza ended up winning the award and was eventually drafted No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. 
Love was taken two picks later at No. 3 overall by the Arizona Cardinals while Sayin returned to Ohio State. Meanwhile, Pavia never heard his name called. He became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since former Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014 to go undrafted.
While Pavia wasn’t projected as being anything more than a late round selection in this year’s draft, it was still stunning to see such a prominent name in college football with the type of on-field success he had to not be one of the 257 picks.
Colorado fans last season witnessed one of the biggest draft falls in NFL history when former Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders came into the 2025 NFL Draft projected to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in either the first or second round. Not only did Sanders slip out of round two, he wasn’t drafted until day three in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. 
With Colorado in 2024, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He helped lead Colorado to a 9-3 record in the regular season and earn a berth in the Alamo Bowl. After three seasons of the "Coach Prime" era in Boulder, this 2024 Colorado team is the only one to make it to a bowl game.
As a rookie for the Browns in 2025, Sanders made appearances in eight games, throwing for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. He did have his fair share of struggles, throwing 10 interceptions.
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Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI, Oregon Ducks On SI and Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.
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