Diego Pavia, a Heisman Trophy finalist, went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, marking the first time since 2014 that a finalist was not selected. He did not sign with any NFL team as a free agent after the draft.
Key points
Diego Pavia went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft
First Heisman finalist not selected since 2014
Did not sign with any NFL team as a free agent
Visited the Carolina Panthers before the draft
Last Heisman winner to go undrafted was Brad Banks in 2003
Mentioned in this story
Diego PaviaJordan LynchBrad BanksCarolina PanthersWashington Commanders
Diego Pavia, one of the most polarizing college football players in recent memory, was not selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The former JUCO, New Mexico State and Vanderbilt quarterback became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch was not picked in the 2014 draft.
Following the draft’s conclusion on Saturday, Pavia did not sign with an NFL team as a free agent. He reportedly visited the Carolina Panthers before the draft, but no other visits were reported.
The last Heisman winner to go undrafted was Iowa QB Brad Banks in 2003. He signed with the Washington Commanders as a free agent, but did not win a roster spot.
Uncertainty over whether or not Pavia hired an agent after finishing his college career may have been a factor in him not being invited for more pre-draft visits. In an interview with former NFL coach Jon Gruden, Pavia said he didn’t have representation.
"I didn't think it was fair that someone was going to represent me and take 5 to 10 percent," Pavia told Gruden. "Ain't nobody taking my money."
However, Pavia may have been referring to having an agent to represent him in NIL negotiations during college. Agent Malki Kawa said on social media that he was Pavia’s agent for his prospective NFL career.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
“I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN!” Sanders wrote on X. “Stay strong and don’t let up.”
Pavia’s reputation and outspokenness may have hurt his draft stock
Pavia, 24, became the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last year at Vanderbilt, finishing behind then-Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and in front of then-Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who were the No. 1 and No. 3 overall picks in this year’s draft, respectively. But his reaction to falling short of the sport’s most prestigious award harmed his already controversial reputation.
Pavia, a brazen playmaker with an adoration for Johnny Manziel and a chip on his shoulder that dwarfs his 5-foot-10 frame, reposted an Instagram post from comedian Theo Von to his Instagram story with the caption, “F- all the voters but ... family for life.”
He later apologized and noted that Mendoza was “a deserving winner of the award.” Also in the apology statement Pavia posted to social media, he mentioned how he’s been doubted his whole life.
“Every step of my journey I’ve had to break down doors and fight for myself, because Ive learned that nothing would be handed to me,” he wrote at the time.
Pavia even had to fight for an extra year of eligibility to continue the program turnaround he initiated at Vanderbilt. Ultimately, a federal judge in Tennessee granted an injunction that allowed Pavia to play a sixth season of college football after he sued the NCAA. Pavia claimed that the organization violated antitrust law by counting his time in JUCO toward his NCAA eligibility clock, thereby affecting his ability to earn money from his name, image and likeness.
Pavia was an unheralded high school recruit. He didn’t have an FBS offer coming out of Volcano Vista in New Mexico. He stayed in-state and spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at a junior college, New Mexico Military Institute.
While there, he won a NJCAA Division I national championship and caught the eye of the New Mexico State staff, including then-Aggies offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who wound up serving as Pavia’s OC at Vanderbilt.
In his second season at New Mexico State, Pavia led the Aggies to a 10-5 record — the program hadn’t enjoyed a 10-win season since it went 11-0 in 1960 — and picked up Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors.
In his first season with the Commodores, Pavia transformed into a household name. He turned heads on Oct. 5, 2024, when he totaled more than 300 yards of offense and fueled a 40-35 win over then-No. 1 Alabama. In other words, he helped Vanderbilt beat the Crimson Tide for the first time in 40 years and notch its first-ever win versus a top-five opponent.
That year, the Commodores went 7-6, registering their first winning season since 2013. For reference, Vanderbilt had won a combined 12 games over the previous five campaigns, from 2019-23.
Pavia was a standout for Vanderbilt in 2025
Pavia upped the ante in 2025. Despite a spotlight that could have engulfed him, he thrived in the presence of extra attention. This past season, Pavia won SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He ranked first among all qualifying SEC quarterbacks with a career-high 29 touchdown passes and a 70.6% completion percentage. He threw only eight picks, and he ran his touchdown total up to 39 with 10 scores on the ground.
A bruising runner that makes up for his shorter stature with a stout build and reckless abandon, Pavia piled up at least 800 rushing yards in each of his final three college seasons.
Pavia lacks the prototypical size of an NFL quarterback. His height is comparable to that of Kyler Murray and Bryce Young, except he’s nowhere near the quick-twitch athlete and polished passer those two were coming out of Oklahoma and Alabama.
Pavia’s college tape was popcorn-worthy: breathtaking at times, eyebrow raising at others but always entertaining. He’s a gamer who’s unabashedly himself. If he’s to make the 53-man roster, he’ll likely have to accept a role away from the limelight while competing for an elevated standing in the quarterback room more quietly than he’s used to.
