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Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia is heading to Baltimore.
The former Vanderbilt quarterback accepted an invitation to the Ravens’ rookie minicamp Saturday, his agent confirmed on social media. ESPN first reported the news.
As a senior, Pavia led the Southeastern Conference in passing accuracy (70.6%), passing touchdowns (29) and yards per attempt (9.4). He led all Power Four conference players with 4,402 total yards, which accounted for more than 70% of the Commodores’ total offense.
Pavia finished with a 31-18 record as a Football Bowl Subdivision starting quarterback, highlighted by Vanderbilt’s upset of then-No. 1 Alabama in 2024 and a 10-3 mark this past season. He won the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and finished behind only Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the eventual No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, in Heisman voting.
But he entered the predraft process with little hype. At the NFL scouting combine, he measured in at 5 foot 9 and 7/8 inches. No quarterback under 5-10 had ever been drafted in the modern era; shorter QBs have tended to struggle to see the field behind bigger NFL offensive lines.
Pavia’s also 24 years old, the same age as multiyear NFL starting quarterbacks Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud, and has faced questions about his maturity. After finishing in the Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted partying in a New York club next to a sign that read “F– Indiana.” He also posted an Instagram story with the caption “F-All THE VOTERS,” which included a thumbs-down emoji, and added: “BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Pavia later apologized for that post on social media.
“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win,” Pavia wrote on X. “To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.
“I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”
In Baltimore, Pavia will vie for a spot in a quarterback room that has only two veterans: starter Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley.
Jonas Shaffer
jonas.shaffer@thebaltimorebanner.com
Jonas Shaffer is a Ravens beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun. Jonas grew up in Silver Spring and graduated from the University of Maryland.
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