American Football
Diego Pavia: Can the undrafted Heisman finalist make the Ravens' roster?
Relive the 2026 NFL Draft on DAZN
Thirty-two teams had seven rounds to pick former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia in the 2026 NFL Draft. None of them did.
In going undrafted, the 24-year-old became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to slip through the entire draft since Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch in 2014.
The Baltimore Ravens have handed him a lifeline. Whether the notoriously outspoken Pavia can keep his emotions in check and make the most of it is another matter.
Ravens give Pavia a shot at rookie minicamp
Within 24 hours of the end of the draft, Baltimore had extended a minicamp invitation. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pavia has accepted.
He'll compete alongside UDFA former UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano, who's also been invited to the minicamp.
With Lamar Jackson the unquestioned starter and Tyler Huntley backing him up, the Ravens didn't feel the need to use any of their 11 draft picks on a quarterback.
However, having a third-string developmental option is never a bad thing, and Pavia's dual-threat profile gives him more upside than most UDFAs.
Why Pavia went undrafted
In 2025, Pavia threw 29 touchdowns, rushed for 10 more and racked up 4,401 total yards. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-American.
Those numbers and accolades, while good enough for him to rank second in Heisman voting behind Mendoza, were not enough for him to be taken among the 257 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Concerns over his height and arm strength followed him during the pre-draft process, and then there was the off-field stuff.
After finishing as the Heisman runner-up to Fernando Mendoza, Pavia took to Instagram, making it clear he was far from happy.
Can Pavia make the Ravens' roster?
Baltimore is a reasonable fit. It's a scheme built around mobility, and the Ravens know better than most how to use a quarterback who can hurt you with his legs.
In 2025, the Ravens went into the season with only two quarterbacks on the roster. Whether they increase that number to three for Pavia may largely depend on whether the rookie impresses.
He's also a candidate for the practice squad, an option Baltimore may explore, safe-ish in the knowledge that no other team seems to value Pavia enough to poach him.
Pavia has the talent to catch on, but talent's only part of the equation. Whether he can stay out of his own way long enough to prove it is the question the Ravens are about to find out the answer to.
