Undrafted Diego Pavia gets Baltimore Ravens rookie minicamp tryout: reports

Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who finished second in Heisman voting last season, reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted this weekend.

According to multiple reports, Pavia has accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp on a trial basis. He doesn’t have a roster spot yet, but it’s a start as he plans to break into the NFL with Baltimore.

Of course, two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson is the team’s starting quarterback, but perhaps Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invite to training camp this summer.

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Pavia didn’t expect to withdraw from the draft this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not be named in the seven rounds in Pittsburgh.

Pavia earned the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for top senior quarterback by passing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both single-season school records, to lead the Commodores to their first 10-win season in their history.

Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.

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Pavia finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza; He was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So what ultimately led to Pavia not being drafted?

While his personality may have factored into this, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine drew some attention. Vanderbilt listed him at 6-foot-4, but he measured out at 6-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he stepped on the field today. The average height of an NFL quarterback is 6 feet.

However, those who were shorter than average achieved success; Kyler Murray, the newest member of the Minnesota Vikings, came from Oklahoma and went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. He is listed at 5 feet 10.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win over Kentucky on November 22, 2025 at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK, via Imagn Images)

Pavia yelled at critics about his height during the Senior Bowl in January.

“Yes, my height has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time. through AL.com. “I think the only thing the NFL cares about is whether you win or not, and I consider myself a winner. I’ve been lucky with all these great teams I’ve had; we’ve never had a losing season. That’s something I’ll look forward to for the rest of my career, hopefully that happens.”

“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a unifier, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers; I can connect. We unify, and once you unify, you want to play for each other, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one who can stop your team.”

Pavia’s personality, seen by some as cocky rather than confident, may also have played a role. Pavia, who finished second to Mendoza in the Heisman voting, was seen at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that read “F— Indiana.” She later shared a photo of herself and her friends on social media with the caption: “FUCK ALL THE VOTERS, BUT… FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a football during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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Pavia later apologized for his decision to share this on social media.

Whatever the case, Pavia now has a chance with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter as he aims to show enough in training camp to join the quarterback group. In addition to Jackson, the Ravens’ roster to start the season includes Tyler “Snoop” Huntley.

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