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NCAA, College League, USA Football: SEC Media Day Jul 14, 2025 Atlanta, GA, USA Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia answers media day questions during SEC Media Day at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Atlanta Omni Atlanta Hotel GA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJordanxGodfreex 20250714_jla_th5_657
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NCAA, College League, USA Football: SEC Media Day Jul 14, 2025 Atlanta, GA, USA Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia answers media day questions during SEC Media Day at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Atlanta Omni Atlanta Hotel GA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJordanxGodfreex 20250714_jla_th5_657
Diego Pavia is taking an unconventional path to the pros. Known as one of 2026’s most polarizing prospects, the Vanderbilt star recently revealed a controversial financial choice on Jon Gruden’s show that he successfully represented himself during collegiate NIL negotiations.
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“You know, I’m coming back. Let’s find a fair number that I could come back for. And so we worked it out,” Diego Pavia said of his negotiation tactics. Before he could say anything further, the Super Bowl-winning HC stopped him with a question: “And are you representing yourself, or do you have an agent?”
Pavia doubled down and stood his ground: “No, I’m representing myself. So I didn’t think it was fair that someone was gonna represent me and take five to 10%. Ain’t nobody taking my money, I’ll tell you that.”
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Jon Gruden was in utter disbelief. Quite apparently, it was hard to tell whether he was triggered or actually impressed: “It’s unbelievable for a young guy to be able to do this, man… this is great.”
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NEW: Diego Pavia DOESN’T have an agent representing him:
Pavia: “I didn’t think it was fair that someone was going to represent me and take 5-10%… ain’t nobody taking my money.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/ZK1bBGaAzL
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) April 7, 2026
Basically, Pavia decided to cut out the middleman to save on those standard marketing agency fees, which can go up to 10 percent. While NFL contracts cap at 3 percent, college NIL deals are the wild west, and he wanted to make sure he pocketed every dollar. Still, the quarterback knows his limits. Handling his own NIL money was smart, but the NFL Draft is a different beast. Projected as a day 3 pick, he cannot afford missteps with pro scouts.
It’s not exactly unheard of. Back in 2018, Lamar Jackson skipped the traditional agent route entirely and had his mother, Felicia Jones, represent him heading into the NFL Draft. Critics questioned it loudly. Baltimore took him 32nd overall anyway, as he went on to become a two-time MVP. Sometimes the unconventional call turns out to be the right one.
To make sure he wasn’t getting fleeced by the fine print, Diego Pavia actually enrolled in a Master’s in Legal Studies program at Vanderbilt. In his defense, he wanted to be able to read the fine print himself so he wouldn’t miss out on any opportunities or get taken advantage of. Not to mention, Pavia might seem like he knows what he’s doing when it comes to saving his money.
Despite being one of the biggest college stars, Pavia says he doesn’t even touch most of his earnings. Instead, he sends “every dime” home to his mother to manage. So yeah, you could say he knows a thing or two about the art of investing. However, there’s still a lot more work left to do for the SEC QB when it comes to prepping for the NFL.
Diego Pavia’s way to the NFL
To handle the pre-draft heat, Pavia has been seeking advice from some heavy hitters. He recently did a session for Jon Gruden’s “QB Class.” The former Super Bowl coach gave him some blunt “tough love” about protecting himself better when he runs. On top of that, he’s also been getting one-on-one mentorship from Johnny Manziel himself, who knows quite a thing or two about being a polarizing, undersized playmaker.
However, there’s this one team in the NFC South that might be willing to take a flier on the Vandy QB. Diego Pavia officially visited the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday to talk business and other possibilities without an agent.
Ultimately, Diego Pavia compromised. While he proudly managed his college rights, he officially signed with First Round Management in January. With the draft kicking off on April 23, he brought in pro help to secure his future. Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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Himanga Mahanta