Diego Pavia did not hear his name called on Night 1 of the NFL Draft, a notable development given recent speculation that the former Vanderbilt quarterback would come off the board during the weekend.
According to The Tennessean, the first round concluded without Pavia among the selections, despite growing buzz in the days leading up to the draft. Reports had indicated that multiple teams were doing late evaluations on him, including a visit with the Carolina Panthers earlier this month.
That attention fueled the belief that he would land somewhere in the draft, even if not in the opening round.
According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, league interest in Pavia has been real—even if it hasn’t yet translated into a selection. “Some teams are taking a closer look,” Schefter wrote. “The Panthers recently had Pavia in for a visit, and others are doing their own work on him. Expect his name to be called this weekend.”
Pavia has remained confident throughout the process, pushing back on concerns about his size and measurables. At 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds, he falls below the traditional prototype for NFL quarterbacks, but he has consistently pointed to his on-field production as the defining factor.
He also earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, capping off a college career that included stops at New Mexico Military Institute and New Mexico State before arriving at Vanderbilt.
Still, questions about how his game translates to the NFL have followed him throughout the pre-draft process. NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms was among those who raised concerns after the combine, saying Pavia’s performance showed inconsistency depending on the throw. “To his backside, he was a D thrower… to his front side, he was like A, B,” Simms said.
Pavia’s path to this moment has already been unconventional. His ongoing legal battle with the NCAA over eligibility rules—particularly those impacting former junior college players—has kept him in the spotlight beyond his on-field performance.
