Diego Pavia’s NFL dream hit a wall before he even got to play a preseason snap for the Baltimore Ravens. But the former Vanderbilt QB already has someone in professional football eager to give him another shot, and this time, the pitch comes with a promise.
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UFL co-owner Mike Repole wasted little time responding after Diego Pavia revealed that he was negotiating with the league for the 2027 season. In an enthusiastic Instagram post, he revisited an earlier conversation about the QB’s potential place in the league with a fresh promise to push the Heisman Trophy runner-up to reach his potential and help him chase his biggest dreams.
“Diego Pavia, we would LOVE to welcome you to the UFL!!!!!” he wrote. “Great players. Great Coaches. Passionate fans. Electric, high-energy, HIGH-SCORING football. Six months ago on the Pat McAfee Show, I made it crystal clear. We WANT Diego Pavia in the UFL!
“Diego, I promise you one thing. We will challenge you, push you to reach your highest potential, and help you chase your biggest dreams. That’s what the UFL is all about. Giving talented, hungry players an opportunity to compete, grow, prove themselves, and take their game to the next level.”
The former Vanderbilt star had good reason to explore alternatives after his NFL plans stalled. Despite finishing second in the 2025 Heisman Trophy voting behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia went undrafted in the NFL Draft. He eventually landed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on a three-year, $3.1 million non-guaranteed contract. That gave him a chance to compete, but the opportunity ended as the team waived him on July 23, ahead of the opening of training camp.
Mike Repole has been publicly courting Diego Pavia for months since the NFL draft fallout in April. He even suggested he would sign him immediately if the QB wanted to play in the UFL. Now, with negotiations underway, that long-standing interest has a more immediate purpose.
Diego Pavia announced on Oct. 20 that his agent, Malki Kawa, was working with the UFL to make a deal happen. The QB also made his own commitment clear.
“Appreciate everyone reaching out with everything on my career,” Pavia wrote on X. “My agent @malkikawa and the UFL are currently in negotiations to make this happen! whatever team I end up at, I can promise you one thing- You will get everything I got.”
The following day, Mike Repole made that promise on social media. Still, an enthusiastic owner and a player interested in joining the league don’t amount to a completed deal. No UFL team has officially secured Diego Pavia’s services.
The UFL will hold its 15-round draft on November 18 in St. Louis. The first two rounds will air on NFL Network beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The Columbus Aviators hold the first overall selection, followed by the league’s new Colorado franchise.
Diego Pavia’s eligibility for selection could be affected by his brief time with Baltimore and the league’s updated rules. His participation in the draft, however, has not been formally confirmed, and ongoing negotiations leave the final arrangement unresolved.
Columbus is an obvious team to watch because of its position at the top of the draft. Adding a former Heisman runner-up would give the franchise a QB with proven production and a compelling story. But the No. 1 pick alone doesn’t make Diego Pavia a lock to end up there.
For now, the important development is that Diego Pavia has identified his next target, and Mike Repole has made clear that the UFL wants him after the NFL door didn’t produce the opportunity he hoped for.