Undrafted Diego Pavia gets Baltimore Ravens rookie minicamp tryout: reports

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

Pavia 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.

Of course Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback, is cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, but maybe Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invite to training camp this summer.

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

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

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

POLARIZING COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR, HEISMAN TROPHY FINALIST GOES OUT

Pavia ultimately 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 ultimately led to Pavia not being drafted?

While his personality may have factored into the consideration, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he was measured at 5-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he stepped foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.

However, those shorter than average have seen success, including Minnesota Vikings newest member Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 out of Oklahoma. He is listed at 5-foot-10.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.

“Yeah, my size has been in doubt my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is that you can win, and I see 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 have — I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for each other, and once you give 120% effort, nobody can stop your team.”

Pavia’s personality, considered by some to be more cocky than confident, may also have played a factor. After finishing second to Mendoza in the Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York nightclub next to a sign that read: “F— Indiana.” He then posted on social media a photo 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, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Pavia later apologized for his decision to post it on his social media.

Whatever the case, Pavia has a shot now with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter as he aims to show enough to join the quarterbacks group in training camp. Aside from Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.