Diego Pavia Signs With NFL Team After Going Undrafted

The most talked-about prospect to go undrafted in this year's NFL Draft was without question Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.

Pavia was one of the standout players in college football last season and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. He also became the first player since 2014 to be a Heisman finalist and go undrafted.

While there are several possible reasons NFL teams passed on him - including concerns about his size, as he is considered one of the smaller quarterbacks in the class, as well as his polarizing playing style and personality - he still drew immediate interest after the draft. Pavia accepted an invitation to participate in the Baltimore Ravens' upcoming minicamp.

However, that opportunity quickly shifted on Tuesday when ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens instead signed Pavia to a three-year deal.

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The team also agreed to a similar three-year contract with UConn QB Joe Fagnano, meaning both signal-callers will enter minicamp and likely training camp this summer competing for reps behind starter Lamar Jackson and second string Tyler Huntley - a valuable chance to learn how to play the position at the NFL level.

Pavia spent the first two years of his college career at New Mexico State Aggies before transferring to Vanderbilt, where he played a pivotal role in the program's resurgence under head coach Clark Lea.

As a playmaker, Pavia brings a lot to the table, despite the lack of size. Last season, he completed 70.6% of his passes for 3,539 yards 29 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He rushed 167 times for 862 yards and 10 TD’s on the ground.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 3:26 PM.