Diego Pavia’s downward slide from a Heisman Trophy finalist to an undrafted player has been one of the most surprising in recent years. While his hopes of being signed by an NFL team as an undrafted free agent have now been dashed, the door behind him remains open following a recent NCAA development. However, it is uncertain if that opportunity will be attractive enough for him.
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Diego Pavia’s return became a possibility due to the age-based eligibility model adopted by the NCAA in June. Pavia’s collegiate career spanned four seasons, making a fifth year of eligibility possible. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Pavia will have to file a lawsuit against the NCAA, arguing that his two JUCO years shouldn’t count and he should get an extra year of college football.
Despite finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting, Pavia went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the Baltimore Ravens signed the former Vanderbilt quarterback to a three-year undrafted free agent deal in April, only to waive him three months later. The Ravens needed to free up some roster space for Ethan Pocic, and Pavia was the victim of that action. While teams in the CFL and UFL are legitimate fallback options for Pavia, his preference for the NFL has left him without a team deep into fall camp.
All 32 NFL teams have 90 players on their rosters, leaving no room for Pavia — at least for the 2026 season. Therefore, college football remains a good option for Pavia. It not only allows him to play for a team in 2026 but also affords him another opportunity in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The NCAA’s adoption of the age-based, five-for-five eligibility model is why college football seems like an option for Pavia. The new model gives student-athletes a five-year window to play over five seasons, with the eligibility clock starting after full-time college enrollment or the athlete’s 19th birthday — whichever comes first. The only downside is that the model does not apply to athletes from the 2022 class, whose eligibility is subject to the previous model.
However, last month, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted an extra fifth year of eligibility to all athletes from the 2022 class. It was the result of a legal action by a group of Colorado athletes against the NCAA. More recently, a Louisiana judge granted a temporary restraining order allowing multiple players on NFL rosters to return to college football.
Pavia has quite a unique college career that makes him highly likely to win in court should he decide to file a lawsuit. Before his move to NCAA football, Pavia played the first two years of his collegiate career in junior college. As such, he probably has a more legitimate request than athletes who spent all four years of college playing NCAA football.
Ever since his exit from the Ravens, there has hardly been any news from Pavia’s camp. And despite the possibility of Pavia returning a college football in 2026, his agent did not respond when Florio reached out for a response.