Former Vanderbilt football quarterback Diego Pavia became the first Heisman Trophy runner-up not taken in the NFL draft since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014.
And it turns out that Pavia and Lynch shared many similarities.
Following the draft, Pavia accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens‘ rookie minicamp, which is May 1-3.
Pavia, who in 2025 led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season, could sign a contract for likely the league minimum. That would allow him to participate in the Ravens’ training camp and preseason, and compete for a place on the 53-man roster.
Pavia finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to a 16-0 record and the national championship and was picked No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Lynch finished third in the 2013 Heisman voting behind the winner Jameis Winston, a quarterback who led Florida State to a 14-0 record and the national championship, and the runner-up AJ McCarron from Alabama.
Pavia threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He was a dual-threat quarterback who also rushed for 862 yards on 167 attempts and scored 10 touchdowns. He was the SEC Offensive player of the year.
Lynch was also a dual threat. He passed for 2,892 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a senior while rushing for 1,920 yards on 292 attempts with 23 touchdowns. He also had a 17-yard touchdown catch.
In two seasons, Pavia took Vanderbilt, which finished with a 2-10 record and in seventh place in the SEC East the year before his arrival in 2024, to a 10-3 overall record and the ReliaQuest Bowl. The Commodores were 7-6 in Pavia’s junior season and defeated Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.
Pavia also led Vanderbilt to a 40-35 upset of then-No. 1 Alabama in 2024, completing 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. It was Vanderbilt’s first win over a top-five team.
In his four seasons at NIU, Lynch led the Huskies to a 24-4 record as a starter, the 2012 Mid-American Conference championship and an Orange Bowl appearance. He set five NCAA and 25 school records, including becoming the first FBS player to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a single season.
Much was made of Pavia’s height, which was listed at 5-feet-10⅛ inches at the NFL combine. He was measured at 5-foot-9⅞ inches at the 2025 Senior Bowl. That is short for most quarterbacks, especially in the NFL.
Lynch measured 6-foot-⅛ inches at the 2014 NFL combine. That’s also short for the NFL.
Pavia weighed 207 pounds at the combine, and Lynch weighed 217 pounds.
Even after being snubbed in the NFL Draft, Pavia still will have the opportunity to play on the next level after being invited by the Baltimore Ravens on April 26 to attend their rookie minicamp.
After going unselected in the 2014 NFL Draft, Lynch participated in the Chicago Bears’ rookie minicamp. Instead of quarterback, Lynch was tried out at running back by the Bears and was cut before the regular season.
After that, he spent two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League before ending his playing career.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
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