The Baltimore Ravens don’t need to see a tryout from undrafted Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. They’re giving him a contract.
The polarizing Heisman Trophy runner-up reportedly inked a three-yeal deal with the Ravens, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He was scheduled to try out for the team this weekend, but Baltimore is signing him in advance.
Two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson remains the team’s starter entering the 2026 season and beyond. However, the team had only Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster before the deal for Pavia, who made unfortunate draft history over the weekend.
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Pavia was not expecting to go undrafted over the weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called through seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
Now, he gets an opportunity to not just show the Ravens what he’s got, but develop under the three-year deal.
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Pavia was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm for best upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which are single-season school records, to give the Commodores their first-ever 10-win season.
Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.
Pavia finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, what led to Pavia not getting drafted?
While his personality may have factored in, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he measured at 5 feet, 9 7/8 inches, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he were to step foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.
However, those shorter than the average have have success, including the Minnesota Vikings’ newest member, Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 coming out of Oklahoma. He’s listed at 5 feet, 10 inches.
Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.
“Yeah, my size has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is can you win, and I view myself as a winner. I’ve been fortunate with all these great teams that I’ve had. We’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, I hope, for the rest of my career. That’s how it’s going to be.
“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I’ve got. I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for one another, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one that can stop your team.”
Pavia’s personality, viewed by some as more cocky than confident, may have played a factor as well. After finishing runner-up to Mendoza in Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that said, “F— Indiana.” Then, he posted on social media a photo with friends and a caption that said, “F— ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Pavia later apologized for his post on his socials.
Ravens rookie minicamp is scheduled to begin Friday and run through the weekend with all the team’s draft picks, undrafted free agents and tryout players.
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