Diego Pavia went from zero FBS offers to leading an SEC team to the cusp of the playoffs. The Vandy QB is currently campaigning for the Heisman after his two main competitors failed to grab the opportunity in the B1G Championship game. And even with his college football career almost over, Pavia’s stock continues to rise.

Pavia, who is already among the highest-paid NIL athletes, receives a big boost to his valuation. Vandy’s signal-caller, who stood at a $2.4 million NIL valuation coming out of the regular season, earns a massive boost of $97,000, per On3. This represents a 4% boost to his NIL asset, currently valued at $2.5 million.

He currently has the 10th highest NIL, equaling that of Ohio State’s quarterback, Julian Sayin. Arch Manning continues to top the list with $5.3 million valuation, followed by AJ Dybantsa and Jeremiah Smith. 

Entering the 2025 season, the Commodores’ QB had an NIL valuation of approximately $1.6 million after rejecting a $4 million NIL offer from another SEC program to return to Vanderbilt. Throughout the season, his NIL value has been on a steady rise.

In the first week of October, On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Pavia’s NIL deal tops $2 million. It was noted that the majority of his NIL earnings are not made public. A week ago, he received a 22% boost of $442,000, bringing his NIL valuation to $2.4 million.

It is worth noting that the New Mexico native didn’t receive a single FBS scholarship offer upon graduating from high school. He now has multiple NIL sponsors, including Raising Cane’s, AutoPro, Blaco Clothing, Cheetah Clean Auto Wash, Slim Chickens, Placemakr, Austermiller Roofing, and more.

His constant rise in the NIL assets is a result of his consistent performance for Vanderbilt. Throughout the season, the Vandy QB threw for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He is ranked 4th in the QBR with 87.7, which led the Commodores to a 10-2 record in the regular season, for the first time since 1947.

Pavia’s efforts may not have led Vanderbilt to the College Football Playoff, but he did enough to change the way people saw the school throughout the years. From the school known for its studies, Pavia will now represent them in NYC at the Heisman ceremony this Saturday. 

Clark Lea provides Diego Pavia Heisman Update

Diego Pavia was announced as one of four finalists for the 2025 Heisman Trophy on Monday, Dec. 8. He will be heading to New York City for the Heisman Ceremony this Saturday on Dec. 13. Pavia will be the first from Vanderbilt to be invited to participate in the annual ceremony.

After Diego Pavia was announced as a Heisman finalist, Vanderbilt’s head coach, Clark Lea, expressed pride in their signal-caller.

“He didn’t just lead our team; he set the tone every Saturday. When the moment got big, he got bigger. That’s a @HeismanTrophy season!”

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It didn’t end there; Clark Lea reposted Vanderbilt Football’s post, “NEXT STOP: NYC”, and said he was “Incredibly proud of @diegopavia02 and excited to see him on the biggest, brightest stage in NYC this Saturday. LET’S GO!!!! VANDY WE TURNT. SEE YOU IN NYC”

Pavia will join Indiana’s QB Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s QB Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame’s RB Jeremiyah Love. Vanderbilt’s QB now has the second-best odds (+600) to win the Heisman Trophy, trailing only behind Indiana’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza (-1000).