NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The unwavering self-belief that some view as cockiness has carried Diego Pavia from a New Mexico junior college all the way to finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting in the Southeastern Conference. Now, the Vanderbilt quarterback has his sights set on professional football.
However, skeptics question whether Pavia’s 5-foot-10 frame will limit his draft prospects and NFL opportunities, as that height is typically considered too short for professional quarterbacks.
When asked about concerns over his stature, Pavia offers a straightforward answer.
“I would just say turn on the tape,” Pavia stated during the NFL combine, referencing his performance over two seasons with Vanderbilt. “The SEC and the Big Ten probably have the most guys getting drafted in the first (and) second round. So we’re playing those guys.”
Former teammates support Pavia’s position. Eli Stowers, who moved from quarterback to tight end while playing alongside Pavia at New Mexico State before both joined Vanderbilt, believes the discussion about physical dimensions misses the point.
“Can the kid play football?” Stowers asked during Vanderbilt’s pro day. “And Diego was the best player in college football last year. He led the entire country in total yards. I mean, he won 10 games and got us to the point where we had two winning seasons back-to-back after going 2-10 the year before.”
Following the 2025 season, Pavia earned AP SEC offensive player of the year honors after guiding Vanderbilt to an unprecedented 10-win campaign. He connected on 71% of his throws for 3,539 passing yards while accumulating 4,401 total yards and 39 touchdowns. His 29 passing touchdowns topped the SEC, and he also rushed for 862 yards and 10 scores.
Nationally, he ranked second in total offense with an average of 338.5 yards per contest.
According to Stowers, Pavia instilled a winning mentality throughout the Commodores program.
“He’s the best leader I’ve ever been around, the hardest worker I’ve been around,” Stowers explained. “He always cares about everyone around his team, around the facility. I mean, you just watch him on film. The kid is an amazing football player, and he will win you games at any level.”
Center Jordan White, who handled snaps to Pavia at Vanderbilt, said watching game film with the quarterback was consistently impressive.
“I know every time I snap it to him, a great play’s going to be made no matter what it is,” White commented at the pro day.
Physical measurements carry significant weight with NFL franchises, potentially making Pavia a late-round selection at most.
According to Sportradar data, just three quarterbacks measuring 5-10 or under have started NFL games since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger: Doug Flutie (66 starts), Bryce Young (44), and Kyler Murray (87) — all listed at exactly 5-10.
Sportradar’s records dating to 1948 show only one quarterback under 5-10 ever started professionally. Eddie LeBaron, known as “The Little General” at 5-9, started 88 games across 11 NFL seasons from 1952 to 1963.
Pavia received no college scholarship offers from high school. He attended junior college, capturing a national title at New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to New Mexico State and eventually Vanderbilt in 2024. He even pursued federal court action to secure an injunction permitting him to play the 2025 season.
Under Pavia’s leadership, the historically struggling SEC program achieved a 7-6 record in his debut season, including their first victory over an AP top-five opponent. The 2025 campaign brought a 10-3 finish with six conference victories, four wins against ranked teams, and a peak ranking of No. 9 — Vanderbilt’s highest AP poll position since 1937.
At 24 years old, Pavia brings six seasons of experience and extensive game footage for NFL evaluators to examine.
“I’ve seen a lot of football,” Pavia noted.
Several NFL organizations have shown interest, with Tampa Bay speaking to Pavia at the Senior Bowl and the New York Jets meeting with him at the combine, where he participated in throwing drills. A source familiar with the visit confirmed he met with Carolina on April 7, though the Panthers don’t discuss their top 30 prospect meetings.
Pavia’s self-assurance comes from his belief in what he offers any organization.
“What’s true about me is I’m humble and I get my confidence from my process,” Pavia said. “And if you saw how much I put into this, you would see where I get my confidence for anything.”
