Why Diego Pavia is emerging as one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft

That level of production is not just impressive, it is program-defining. Pavia did not simply succeed, he elevated entire offenses and consistently delivered in high-pressure moments.

For some evaluators, that resume is enough to justify taking a chance. Quarterbacks who repeatedly win, adapt and carry offenses tend to find a role somewhere in the league.

Diego Pavia’s NFL projection splits scouts

The debate becomes sharper when shifting from what Pavia has done to what he can be at the next level.

“He was also the 2023 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year at NMSU, where he led an upset of Auburn on the road. He’ll forever be remembered as a legend in college football circles,” Marcello stated.

That legacy is secure, but it does not answer the key NFL question. At just under 5-foot-10 with average arm strength, Pavia is viewed as an outlier at the position, and concerns about his ability to operate from the pocket, handle full-field reads, and survive physically against NFL defenses.

Pavia’s improvisation, competitiveness, and off-script playmaking give him a pathway, even if it is not as a traditional starter. In a league increasingly open to creative offensive roles, that matters.

This is why Pavia is so polarizing. Some teams see a high-floor competitor who can carve out a role. Others see a ceiling that is limited before he even takes an NFL snap.

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