
Diego Pavia made his NFL debut at the Ravens rookie minicamp, wearing jersey No. 17. The former Vanderbilt quarterback is adjusting to the playbook and his new teammates after signing a three-year deal as an undrafted free agent.
How did Diego Pavia look during NFL debut at Ravens rookie minicamp?
OWINGS MILLS, MD − As his new head coach said, Diego Pavia has "his foot in the door." Soon enough, he'll have the chance to do more than simply taking his first professional steps toward potentially being an NFL quarterback.
The former Vanderbilt star and 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist was on the field and in front of reporters during the second and final day of the Baltimore Ravens' rookie minicamp Saturday, May 2. Working out under cloudy skies on a cool day with fellow incoming players, Pavia wore shorts and a black jersey with No. 17. The 5-foot-10, 203-pounder, who recently signed a three-year deal with the team as an undrafted free agent, spent the portion of practice open to media members basically getting acclimated to the playbook and his new teammates.
Pavia did not meet with reporters Saturday but was certainly a popular topic of conversation.
"Diego, just like a lot of the undrafted free agents, (is) trying to make his mark," said Ravens rookie coach Jesse Minter. "This guy, again, I know the program that he came from, I know a lot of people that worked with him, kind of what I think he is as a person − really, really hard worker − I think he really helped elevate that program in the SEC, playing against really good competition.
"And, so now, he's in the door. And it's like, 'Show us what you can do, let the chips fall where they may.'"
Wearing a helmet but no pads, Pavia split practice reps with fellow UDFA Joe Fagnano, who played for UConn, and former James Madison University quarterback Billy Atkins, who attended the minicamp on a tryout basis. They predictably cycled through a mix of run, pass and play-action plays, though Pavia didn't actually throw the ball downfield as his receivers learned their routes. He did uncork passes during individual drills.
Diego Pavia plays as a quarterback in the NFL.
Diego Pavia debuted at the Ravens rookie minicamp on May 2.
Diego Pavia is 5-foot-10 and weighs 203 pounds.
Diego Pavia signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent.


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Obviously, Pavia is also known for a brash and sometimes polarizing personality − which emerged on social media when he didn't capture the Heisman last December.
"He's had some experiences that are learning experiences that he can learn from and be better from, I don't think anybody would dispute that," said Minter. "But when you talk to the people inside that (Vanderbilt) building and what he's about in the building and as a player showing up early every day, working really hard and really helping elevate a program ... I know he was a driving force behind that.
"Again, he's an undrafted rookie free agent. He's got his foot in the door − do what you want to do with it now."
Minter ran practice, while general manager Eric DeCosta and former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, who still holds an executive vice president title under DeCosta, the protégé whom he still advises, observed from various vantage points at the team's suburban training facility.
"He's a really good guy − a guy that plays with a chip on his shoulder. I got to experience him at the Senior Bowl. I really think me and him just kinda building rapport," said Adam Randall, a running back from Clemson selected in the fifth round, when asked about Pavia.
"He has a great energy and attitude, and he's a competitor. So that's really all you can ask for in a teammate, and I know he's gonna give it his all every time he steps on the field."
Though Pavia is a mobile quarterback and muscular, he's a good three or four inches shorter than the team's established veterans at the position. Still, his ability to make plays out of structure might make him a better fit here, whether as an emergency option or on the practice squad, than former Baltimore backup Cooper Rush was in 2025.
The Heisman runner-up to Fernando Mendoza in 2025, Pavia passed for 3,539 yards with the Commodores last season and led the SEC with a 70.6% completion rate and 29 TD passes. He also rushed for 862 yards and 10 additional scores while leading Vandy to a 10-3 record and rare postseason appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
"For us, we see it as an opportunity to bring a player in that could potentially be something," Minter said of Pavia. "And that's really what this is for us."
▶ QB1: Lamar Jackson (8 NFL seasons, two-time league MVP)
▶ QB2: Tyler Huntley (6 NFL seasons, one-time Pro Bowler)
▶ QB3: Diego Pavia/Joe Fagnano (rookies)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diego Pavia makes NFL debut at Ravens rookie minicamp: How he looked