The curtain has officially closed on Diego Pavia’s electrifying tenure at Vanderbilt. Iowa walked away with a 34-27 victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31st. But before Pavia takes that final step toward the NFL, head coach Clark Lea makes sure every single one of the league’s 32 franchises hears his name loud and clear.

“I hope this doesn’t just become a blip season. My goal would be that in 10 years, we draw a line back and say that’s where this all began,” Clark Lea said in his press conference. “And then to say also that Diego is a huge part of that. I think he’s the best player in the country. He’s the best competitor I’ve ever met in my life. He’s the best teammate I’ve ever met in my life. This guy has redefined what it means to connect with people. And everyone wants to have an opinion about him. And all I know is this: you want him on your team.

“I’m so excited for him to be able to take his shot in the NFL. I’m never betting against that guy. And I hope the right people have paid attention to his season because this dude has been doubted his entire life. And everyone’s going to want to say something about what he can and can’t do. This guy is going to make it. He’s not only going to make it, but he’s going to find a way to play at the level he’s found a way to play at for us. I believe that with all my heart.”

Pavia’s 2025 season was nothing short of extraordinary. He completed 267 of 378 passes for a ridiculous 70.6% completion rate. He racked up 3,539 yards through the air with 29 touchdowns against just 8 interceptions. His passer rating of 170.4 was elite by any standard, and that doesn’t even account for what he did with his legs. 

Pavia added 862 rushing yards on 167 carries (a solid 5.2 yards per attempt) and punched in 10 rushing touchdowns. It made him one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in college football this year. Vanderbilt finished 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the brutal SEC, their best season in decades, and Pavia was the engine that made it all run.​

The stats tell you he can play, but they don’t tell you about the swagger, the unshakable confidence that makes some people uncomfortable. Diego Pavia doesn’t apologize for believing in himself. He is outspoken and exudes confidence. That kind of bravado rubs traditionalists the wrong way. Scouts have noted that his polarizing personality and straightforward communication style can feel intimidating. 

But that same fire is what dragged Vanderbilt out of the basement of the SEC and made believers out of teammates who hadn’t tasted success in years. Most draft analysts have him pegged as a late-round pick or priority free agent. But just like Clark Lea said, don’t bet against someone who’s been proving doubters wrong his whole life. Lea certainly isn’t.​

When confidence backfires

This is exactly the thing that makes NFL scouts nervous. Back in June, Diego Pavia went on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast and straight-up torched the Big Ten. He said he didn’t want to take his talents there despite getting offers from other programs.

 “You want to play with the best—you don’t want to play with the Big Ten. … You ignore those calls,” Pavia said. “You know that.” He doubled down and explained his reasoning. “The SEC is, like, nothing. Like, okay, the Big Ten, you have Ohio State, Oregon … the SEC, it’s like week after week. You’re going to get beat on. The Big Ten, you’re not gonna get beat on with the Purdue, Nebraskas.” 

That’s the Diego Pavia brand in a nutshell. He is unfiltered, brash, and unapologetic about saying what others won’t. The problem is Iowa just handed him a 34-27 loss in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve, making those comments age like milk. And now he is getting a lot of hate from the Big 10 loyalists.​

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To be fair, Pavia showed up personally. He went 25-of-38 for 347 yards and threw 2 touchdowns with zero picks. He even scored Vanderbilt’s only rushing touchdown. But the scoreboard doesn’t care about individual stats. This is the double-edged sword of Pavia’s personality that scouts keep circling back to. That same confidence and swagger that made him believe Vanderbilt could win 10 games in the SEC also led him to publicly dismiss entire conferences. It’s not that he lacks talent or guts. It’s that his mouth sometimes writes checks his team can’t cash. And in the NFL, locker rooms don’t always tolerate that kind of noise.