Why Diego Pavia is seen as a perfect fit for the UFL

Diego Pavia was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy and was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year last season. But he did not hear his name called during the 2026 NFL Draft. Pavia's path to the NFL now lies in impressing a franchise during the offseason of preseason, and he did land an invite to Baltimore's rookie mini-camp. But if Pavia doesn't succeed with the Ravens and can't land on an NFL roster this season, NFL analyst Pat McAfee believes that the former Vanderbilt signal caller is the perfect candidate to star in the biggest spring league in the country, the UFL – and the league's owner thinks it sounds like a great idea, too.

Pat McAfee, Mike Repole believe Diego Pavia is a perfect UFL fit

McAfee posted on social media on Sunday, asserting that he was a big fan of what Pavia did with the Commodores the past two seasons, but acknowledged the facets of his game that helped him excel in college are often overlooked by NFL scouts. But he also called Pavia the "UFL QB Blueprint." "Recognizable name...can move...not scared to promote UFL’s getting 800,000 viewers a game, which is good for spring ball, can bump that a bit with some name brands [out] there," McAfee wrote. "I think we all assume the clips, regardless of outcome, would go for a bit. Feels like an opportune time for the UFL.. and for the Pavia show."

I loved what Diego Pavia did for college ball.. just an absolute sensation. Turning Vanderbilt into a football school quickly.

I think a lot of what made him fantastic for College was also gonna be what held him back as an NFL “prospect”.. Size, speed, style of play,… pic.twitter.com/d5IZNKwQZm

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 26, 2026 Mike Repole, owner of the UFL, weighed in on McAfee's suggestion as well, stating that the league is currently focused on getting the right setup for the relatively young league, but as they begin to go after bigger brands, Pavia would make sense for the league. "Players like Pavia? No-brainer for [the UFL]. I’d sign him tomorrow and start him this weekend," Repole wrote. So if Pavia can't make an NFL roster this season, the UFL seems like a likely landing spot for him to build his brand, make some money, and gather tape that proves he deserves an opportunity at the highest level of the sport. Thanks Pat, I agree!!!!