Undrafted Diego Pavia Gets Baltimore Ravens Rookie Minicamp Tryout: Reports

Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who was a finalist in Heisman voting last season, has reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted over the weekend.

Pavie accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, according to multiple reports. He doesn’t have a roster spot yet, but it’s a start as he looks to break into the NFL with Baltimore.

Sure, two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson is considered the team’s starting quarterback, but maybe Pavie can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.

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Pavie didn’t expect to go undrafted this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called during seven rounds in Pittsburgh.

Pavie won SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as top upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both single-season school records, to give the Commodores its first-ever 10-win season.

Vanderbilt narrowly missed the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.

POLARIZING COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR, HEISMAN TROPHY FINALIST, IS UNDRAFT

Pavie ultimately finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So what ultimately stopped Pavie from being 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 feet, but he measured 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 feet 2 inches for an NFL quarterback.

However, those who are smaller than average have found success, including newest member of the Minnesota Vikings, Kyler Murray, who was taken first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 out of Oklahoma. He is listed at 5 feet 10 inches.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s victory against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on November 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski/Tennessee Network/USA TODAY via Imagn Images)

Pavie barked at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his size.

“Yes, my height has been questioned my whole life,” he said at the time via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is being able to win, and I consider myself a winner. I’ve been lucky with all the great teams I’ve had – we’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, hopefully, for the rest of my career, that’s how it’s going to be.

“I feel like God has blessed me in a lot of ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I have: I can connect. We come together, and then once you come together, you want to play for each other, and once you give 120 percent effort, no one can stop your team.”

Pavia’s personality, considered by some to be more arrogant than confident, may also have played a role. After finishing second to Mendoza in the Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York nightclub next to a sign reading “F— Indiana.” Then he posted a photo on social media with friends and a caption that read: “F— ALL THE VOTERS BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a football during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Pavie later apologized for his decision to post this on his social media.

Regardless, Pavie now has a chance with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter as he aims to show enough to join the quarterback group in training camp. Besides Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.