Diego Pavia arrived at the 2026 NFL Draft as one of college football’s most celebrated players, a Heisman Trophy finalist who had redefined what was possible at Vanderbilt and put up numbers that would have looked remarkable at any program in the country. He left it without hearing his name called across all 257 picks — a result that stunned the football world and set off an immediate outpouring of support from players, coaches and fans who believed the former Commodores quarterback deserved better.
A historic and unwanted distinction
Pavia’s fate in the draft placed him in a category no one expected. He became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014, and the first Heisman runner-up to suffer the same outcome since Brad Banks in 2003. Pavia had finished second in the 2025 Heisman voting behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who became the No. 1 overall pick when the Las Vegas Raiders selected him to open the draft. The contrast between the two finalists could hardly have been more extreme — one went first overall while the other went nowhere.
What Pavia accomplished
The numbers Pavia produced during his college career made the outcome all the more difficult to process. In his 2025 Heisman-finalist season, he threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground. His 4,402 total yards represented more than 70% of Vanderbilt’s entire offensive output — a share of production that no other Heisman finalist even came close to matching. He led the SEC in completion percentage at 70.6%, passing touchdowns and yards per attempt at 9.4, an almost absurd level of dominance within one of the toughest conferences in college football.
The broader story of his time in Nashville only adds to the weight of his draft outcome. Pavia guided Vanderbilt to a 17-9 record during his 2 seasons there, led the Commodores to their first 10-win regular season in program history and delivered one of the most memorable moments in recent college football history when he engineered an upset of No. 1 Alabama in 2024. Over his full college career spanning stints at New Mexico Military Institute, New Mexico State and Vanderbilt, he accumulated 10,255 passing yards, 3,094 rushing yards and 119 total touchdowns.
Why teams passed on him
Despite the production, a combination of factors worked against Pavia during the draft process. The most significant was his size. He measured at just under 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds at the Senior Bowl, dimensions that fall well below what NFL teams have traditionally required of starting quarterbacks. In a league that still places significant value on height and pocket presence, those measurements consistently raised red flags throughout the pre-draft evaluation period.
Off-field concerns also played a role. Following the Heisman ceremony in December, Pavia drew criticism for a pair of social media posts that were widely seen as immature and disrespectful toward the voting process. Though he later issued a public apology, the episode reinforced questions about his maturity that surfaced repeatedly in pre-draft interviews. Adding to his challenges, Pavia reportedly did not have an agent representing him during the draft process — an unusual situation for a player of his profile that may have complicated communication between his camp and interested teams. NFL.com assigned him a prospect grade of 5.95, placing him in the range of an average backup or fringe roster candidate rather than a clear draft selection.
Sanders steps up
The emotional fallout from Pavia’s undrafted status resonated well beyond Vanderbilt. Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was among the most prominent voices to publicly rally behind him, posting a passionate message of support on X hours after the draft concluded, urging Pavia to hold his head high and prove his doubters wrong.
What comes next
The undrafted free agent market now represents Pavia’s only path into the NFL. He had a pre-draft visit with the Carolina Panthers, though no agreement had been reached more than 12 hours after the draft ended. Wherever he lands, the next chapter of what has always been an underdog story is just beginning.
Source: Athlon Sports, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Sports Illustrated