Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia wasn’t shy about selling himself to NFL scouts during a television interview during the Panini Senior Bowl week on Jan. 28.
The Heisman trophy finalist told Simone Eli, from New York’s PIX11News, “I’m the best player in the country,” when asked what he was trying to prove to NFL scouts and coaches at the Senior Bowl.
“You get me, you get someone who is a winner, a competitor, a leader, and someone who doesn’t take no for an answer.”
The Senior Bowl, which will be held Jan. 31 in Mobile, Alabama (1:30 p.m. CT, NFL Network) is a showcase for college seniors entering the NFL Draft.
Pavia completed 444-of-676 passes for 5,832 yards and 49 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his two seasons at Vanderbilt after transferring from New Mexico State. He also rushed for 1,663 yards and 18 touchdowns over two seasons.
During his senior season Pavia was 267-of-378 for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing for 862 yards and 10 TDs.
When asked about his NFL preparation during the offseason, Pavia said, “I’m a grinder. That’s all I’ve ever known my whole life.”
When asked about what he has heard from meetings with teams, Pavia said, “They put me on the board, they’ve heard my story. I’ve told them my story, just about my upbringing, just the sports I’ve played and things like that. And I hope that someone gets me. And the team that gets me, I’m going to do everything I can in my willpower. I’ll die for the team.”
Pavia is officially listed on the Senior Bowl roster as 5-foot-9 ⅞ and weighing 198 pounds.
Vanderbilt listed Pavia as 6-foot and 207 pounds on its 2025 roster, which had many questioning those numbers entering the Heisman Trophy presentation in December. He was also listed at 6-foot on the New Mexico State football roster before he transferred to Vanderbilt. It’s not uncommon for colleges to inflate height and weight measurements on their rosters.
Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.
