Why did Diego Pavia go undrafted? Inside the Vanderbilt QB’s 2026 NFL Draft fall

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, one of the most polarizing players in college football over the past two seasons, did not hear his name called at any time during the 2026 NFL Draft. This makes him the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014.

Just one look at Pavia’s college production would be enough to raise questions about why an NFL team didn’t make a late-round decision on Vanderbilt’s quarterback. In four seasons, two with New Mexico State and two with Vanderbilt, Pavie totaled 10,255 passing yards, 3,094 rushing yards and 119 total touchdowns.

Pavia’s senior season with the Commodores was particularly impressive. He led the SEC in completion percentage (70.6%), touchdown passes (29) and yards per attempt (9.4). His 4,402 total yards led all Power Four players, and that accounted for more than 70 percent of the Commodores’ total offense. No other Heisman finalist accounted for more than 50% of their team’s total yards.

NFL teams look for winners and Pavie checked that box as well. In 2023, Pavie helped NMSU to 10 wins for the first time since 1960. At Vanderbilt, Pavie compiled a 17-9 record and his career in Nashville was peppered with notable moments. Perhaps the biggest was upsetting No. 1 Alabama in 2024.

Last fall, Pavie led Vanderbilt to a 10-win regular season, including victories over four ranked opponents. In his final regular season game, Pavia threw for 433 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-24 rout of rival Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.

Despite all of these accomplishments, Pavie went undrafted in 2026 and is still waiting to sign as an undrafted free agent. Questions about his age, physical tools and poor judgment off the field were enough to put teams off.

Height and age were key factors

Two factors beyond his control worked against Pavie: size and age. As Vanderbilt officially listed Pavie at 6 feet, his combine measurement came in at a significantly smaller 5 to 9 7/8 inches. This immediately put Pavie behind the 8 ball, simply based on history.

In the modern era, the two shortest quarterbacks drafted were Kyler Murray and Bryce Young at 5-10 1/8 inches. These players both displayed high-end physical characteristics and became No. 1 overall despite questions about size. Throughout the history of the NFL Draft, short quarterbacks have been consistently overlooked. One of the most notable was Doug Flutie, listed at 5-foot-10, who was an 11th-round pick in 1985.

The size of Pavia raises questions in several areas. First, will he be able to see – and throw – over gargantuan NFL linemen? Second, there are sustainability issues. How will he hold up to big hits from defensive linemen and linebackers significantly larger than him, especially as a player who likes to use his mobility?

Then there’s the issue of age. At 24, Pavie is the same age as Caleb Williams and CJ Stroud, players with several years of NFL experience. When a player like Pavia really breaks out later in his college career, NFL teams will always have questions about how his game will translate to the next level.

Off-field question marks

Pavie has expressed concerns about his maturity in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pavie was a brash player who loved to get under the skin of his opponents and fans, but his actions after the 2025 Heisman Trophy ceremony took things to another level.

After finishing second to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Pavia was spotted at a New York club next to a sign that read “F— Indiana.” He also posted a photo on Instagram with the caption: “F— ALL THE VOTERS BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Pavia later apologized for this social media postsaying, “I have a lot of love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful.”

Questions about his maturity were certainly raised during pre-interviews with teams, and they were certainly raised during his media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine. At one point, Pavia joked that his frontal lobe was still developing.

“Yeah, [Vanderbilt] coach [Clark] Lea always preached that your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until you’re 25,” Pavia said. “I just turned 24, so I have about 360 days left.”

Diego Pavia controversial after Heisman ceremony

In an interview with CBS Sports, Pavia said people outside the locker room often mistake his bravado for arrogance. The Vanderbilt quarterback said his swagger was a result of the preparation he put in throughout the week and during the offseason.

“I want them and future teammates that I have to know that with the game on the line, I got you. Don’t worry about that,” Pavia said. “That’s how I carry myself. I think people get caught up in my confidence out of arrogance. But my confidence comes from my preparation from the work I did in the offseason, the week of, just things like that. That’s what energizes me to have that extra edge on Saturday.”

Pavie has proven people wrong throughout his career, and he’ll likely use that NFL Draft snobbery as motivation when he lands with a team as a UDFA.