Home » Football » Will Diego Pavia Get Drafted? Breaking Down the Vanderbilt QB’s 2026 NFL Draft Chances
After missing out on the Heisman against Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia’s actions afterwards may have turned off a lot of teams on him, as the Vanderbilt QB1’s draft outlook is not looking good. He has run out of eligibility and his next move after getting second place in the Heisman race is naturally the NFL draft, but some teams may be passing on him.
Pavia went from an early round pick because of how he carried the Commodores from SEC laughing stock to one of the best teams in the country. However, after his Heisman defeat, Pavia is projected to go in the lower rounds and even not get picked and becoming an undrafted free agent.
To make things even more complicated, the senior bowl also revealed his actual height. While Vanderbilt listed him as 6 feet, his Senior Bowl measurements were revealed to be 5 feet, 9 inches and seven-eighths of an inch. Some big name QBs are below six feet such as Panthers QB Bryce Young (5’10), but height may still play a factor in attracting teams to draft a player.
Despite him being a Heisman finalist, Pavia going in the first round is considered highly unlikely. Him ranting after losing the Heisman may also play a factor, as this may make him look difficult to work with. That and his height could pose a problem, as the NFL has not drafted a quarterback of his real height during the modern era.
Diego Pavia’s earliest projected pick is in the sixth round, as the No. 224 overall pick for the Kansas City Chiefs, and with Patrick Mahomes injured, he may be a good backup. However, there is still a big chance he might go undrafted as well. He can still change a lot of minds during the NFL Draft Combine though.
Despite all of this, Diego Pavia himself still believes he will get drafted. When he was asked during the Super Bowl if he thinks any team will draft him, his response was simple:
“A hundred-percent,” he said. “When has the last SEC player of the year not been drafted? You know what I mean? I feel like you go watch, the tape number speaks for [itself]. Everything speaks for themselves. I feel like I’m the best player in the country, and I still believe that. That’s just the ultimate confidence that I’ve had.”
While there is no denying that he has confidence in himself and what he has achieved during his time in college football, the Vanderbilt QB still has plenty to prove once the Draft Combine begins.
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