Diego Pavia Vanderbilt Quarterback Goes Undrafted In 2026
Diego Pavia Vanderbilt quarterback went undrafted through all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, leaving him without a selection from any of the league’s 32 teams during draft weekend April 23-25, 2026. The outcome landed after a college career that stretched across six seasons and included a Heisman finalist finish at the end of 2025.
Pavia’s Draft Weekend
Pavia, who started at New Mexico Military Institute before moving on to New Mexico State and then Vanderbilt, entered the draft with a résumé built on production and attention. He led New Mexico State to a bowl win in 2022 and a Conference USA appearance in 2023, then helped Vanderbilt to its first winning season since 2013.
Still, no team used a pick on him. That left the quarterback on the outside of a draft that ran seven rounds and closed April 25 without his name called.
Size And Throwing Questions
The numbers around his pre-draft profile offered part of the explanation. The source says Pavia stands at just under 5 feet 10 inches, while traditional first-round quarterbacks are between 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 5 inches.
His Pro Day added more doubt. Evaluators graded only three of 12 deep passes as on-time and on-target, with five misses overthrown and four underthrown. That workout sat beside the rest of his profile, not just his college wins, when teams made their decisions.
Heisman Finish And Backlash
The draft outcome also followed a turbulent run around his public profile. After finishing second to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza in 2025 Heisman voting, Pavia posted an Instagram story that said, “F- ALL THE VOTERS.” Footage later showed him at a club holding up the middle finger to a sign that read, “F— Indiana,”.
He was also involved in a lawsuit from November 2024. Pavia, later joined by 26 other players, sued the NCAA over rules limiting junior college athletes. That background helps explain why his path to the draft drew so much attention: a six-year college career, a Heisman runner-up finish, and then no selection at the end of draft weekend.
