‘Superstar’ Diego Pavia has rare trait NFL teams can’t afford to pass up as late-round draft steal
For all the draft buzz around Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, the man who finished just behind him has flown under the radar.
Diego Pavia was the runner-up in the 2025 vote for college football’s top award, and that is usually a good sign for a player’s NFL prospects.
But not many are expecting to hear the Vanderbilt quarterback’s name called on Day 1. He might not even be picked on Day 2.
What is Diego Pavia’s draft outlook?
Pavia, who turned heads with his antics at the Heisman ceremony four months ago, is somewhat of a draft wild card.
His stock is a bit of a mystery, and most analysts peg the 24-year-old as a seventh-round pick, if he’s even taken at all.
Teams and scouts, apparently, have reservations about Pavia.
Beyond his outburst that came after finishing runner-up for the Heisman, the 5-foot-10 quarterback is considered undersized, and would be the shortest signal caller in the NFL, if drafted.
Questions have also been raised over Pavia’s decision-making, and his abilities to read defenses post-snap. He is ranked as the 10th best QB in the 2026 class.
But what the Heisman runner-up lacks in size, and perhaps arm talent, he makes up for with the kind of mentality that has become quite rare in this age.
Pavia plays with a chip on his shoulder, and showed throughout the 2025 season that he is a tough and fearless competitor on the field.
He has an unshakeable belief in his own abilities, and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks about him.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog,” the Vanderbilt prospect said ahead of the Senior Bowl.
At the NFL Combine, he later added: “One thing about me, is I don’t care what people think about me.”
Pavia’s outspoken attitude might not sit well with those who evaluate him, or the fans who aren’t overly familiar with his Vanderbilt exploits.
But according to ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid, his mentality — and a certain leadership trait — should not be ignored by teams looking for a late-round steal at QB.
Diego Pavia can be a ‘superstar’ despite low draft stock
“I think he does end up getting drafted, but it’ll probably be in the seventh round if I had to guess, probably somewhere pick number 200 and on,” Reid told talkSPORT’s Brian T. Smith in an exclusive interview.
“He goes somewhere in the back end of that area, but he’s one of those dudes that you never want to underestimate just because he plays with that chip on the shoulder all the time.
“And he had a historic career at Vanderbilt. He’s shown that he’s capable of making plays down the field, whether it’s with his legs or with his arm as well.”
Reid then pinpointed the rare trait Pavia possesses that makes him a potential superstar.
The analyst continued: “What I love about him is that he has such a great deal of respect not only for the game, but his teammates have such a great deal of respect for him.
“He’s one of those dudes that they would take a bullet for. A lot of guys have said that. That’s the type of leadership that Pavia has walking through the door as well.
“There’s no doubt in my mind, if he’s not able to make it in the NFL, he’s going to be a superstar in the outside league.
“Whether it’s the CFL, the UFL, whatever it is, he’s somebody that’s going to be a superstar in that area.
“And that’s just talking about worst-case scenario if he doesn’t pan out in the NFL.”
Pavia, of course, will have dreams far greater than the CFL, or UFL.
He fully believes he’s an NFL signal caller, and could instantly transform any QB room he walks into with the mentality that others lack.
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