Diego Pavia is ready for his next adventure.
The Vanderbilt Commodores prospect was a Saturday star in 2025, but will that transfer to Sundays in the NFL? It’s unclear how Pavia fits in at the next level, given obvious concerns about his size and the inconsistencies that sometimes pop up because of that.
The 24-year-old’s height was listed at just 5-9 7/8 inches after measurements at the Senior Bowl. That would make him one of the shortest quarterbacks in NFL history. Unfortunately for the quarterback, that remains the top story, even for a player who finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Fernando Mendoza.
Regardless, Pavia silenced the doubters with Vanderbilt last season, leading the group to the first 10-win season in program history as the school challenged for a spot in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. It was part of a breakout season that saw him complete 70.6% of passes, totaling 29 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He also wasn’t shy on the ground, tacking on 862 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
His competitive spirit and moxie are bound to make at least one fan across the league. Then the work officially begins. Here’s the latest on Pavia’s status in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pavia was not drafted on Day 1 or 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
He remains on the board heading into the final day, which will feature the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.
Only two quarterbacks came off the board on the first night, with Mendoza being the obvious selection by the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1 and then Ty Simpson being the surprise pick by the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13.
A pair came off the board on the second day, with Carson Beck being selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round with the No. 65 pick. Drew Allar came off the board 11 picks later after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Garrett Nussmeier is a notable quarterback still on the board heading into the draft’s final day on Saturday, April 25.
Pavia’s size is the main reason for his draft fall. The question is whether the quarterback has enough athleticism to make up for his height, which wasn’t a question for someone like Kyler Murray.
It wasn’t an issue in college, but that wouldn’t be the case against better, faster competition in the NFL.
Any team that drafts Pavia or inks a deal with him as an undrafted free agent will likely fall in love with his competitive spirit and toughness, which could make him a backup candidate if the right situation presents itself.
That would almost certainly be the best-case scenario at this point.
An unconventional idea, but the Panthers could double down on a shorter quarterback to be the insurance option behind Bryce Young. Even though they don’t have a need for a backup right now, Carolina would maintain some continuity in the event of an injury to Young.
Teddy Bridgewater is the only insurance behind Jared Goff on the Lions roster. This is a perfect spot for Pavia, given how well he fits the city and the football team’s mentality that represents it.
Here’s a look at the list of quarterbacks that have been picked in the 2026 NFL Draft:
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