Draft night was supposed to be a moment for Diego Pavia—the 2025 Heisman runner-up had it all set at home, a table lined with caps from all 32 NFL teams, ready for the call. But the moment never came. The former Vanderbilt quarterback sat through all three days of the 2026 NFL Draft without hearing his name, becoming the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted since Jordan Lynch in 2014. Why did it happen? That’s where the explanations start to split.

Some pointed to his 5-foot-10 height, which would have made him one of the shortest quarterbacks in the league. Others highlighted that he did not record a 40-yard dash time at the combine and also skipped the vertical and broad jump drills. But once the draft concluded and the reality set in, the Ravens decided to give him a break.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pavia accepted an invitation on Sunday to attend the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp next weekend. Baltimore’s decision to bring in one of the more polarizing quarterback prospects is not difficult to understand.

For context, the Ravens currently have room for a developmental No. 3 quarterback after not using any of their 11 picks in the 2026 draft on the position. Pavia’s dual-threat profile aligns with the style of quarterbacks already on the roster, including Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.

With Jackson having dealt with an injury early in the 2025 season, Pavia could provide depth if he impresses during minicamp and earns a roster spot. After all, the Ravens addressed most other needs during the draft, but did not select a quarterback.

They used the 14th overall pick on offensive lineman Olaivavega Loane, followed by defensive end Zion Young in the second round, wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane in the third, wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Matthew Hibner in the fourth, cornerback Chandler Rivers, tight end Josh Cuevas, and running back Adam Randall in the fifth, punter Ryan Eckley in the sixth, and defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny along with guard Evan Beerntsen in the seventh.

However, Pavia won’t be the only one in the mix. He’ll be going head-to-head with Joe Fagnano out of UConn, who is also getting a look at the Baltimore Ravens rookie minicamp.

With the draft complete, all rookies are set to report for next weekend’s minicamp, and Pavia will be part of that group. The 24-year-old enters the opportunity after leading Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record, the program’s first double-digit win season. He finished the 2025 season with 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, while adding 10 more scores on the ground.

No wonder he was named first-team All-American and SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Additionally, he was awarded the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the best upperclassman quarterback in college football.

And now, the invitation from Baltimore offers some relief, especially considering all 32 teams passed on him through seven rounds, selecting 257 players, and no team immediately reached out afterward.

No team contacted Diego Pavia following the draft

Going undrafted in the NFL doesn’t mean the story is over. Plenty of players have gone undrafted and later become key pieces for their teams. This year is no different. After 32 teams selected 257 players, franchises already started adding undrafted free agents to uncover potential contributors for training camp, practice squads, and beyond. For Diego Pavia, though, the situation played out differently.

Reports indicated that Pavia did not receive an initial contract as an undrafted free agent before eventually getting an invitation from the Ravens. The Ravens, notably, added around 15 undrafted players, and Pavia was not among them. However, during an appearance on Jon Gruden’s QB Class earlier this month, Jon Gruden suggested that Pavia could begin his NFL journey in a backup or hybrid role. He said:

“Make a note, Taysom Hill…He’s a bada-s. Now what if [a team drafts you and says], ‘Okay we’ve got a starting quarterback right now. We’re going to teach you the offense, and we’re going to bring you along in our system. But we could use you, right away, with some of these Taysom Hill-like plays.

Pavia, for his part, made his mindset clear:

“Put me on the f— field. Hell yeah, put me on the field … as long as we’re winning, I don’t care.”

He doesn’t care about being undersized. Now, there have been smaller quarterbacks who’ve made it work at the next level, but Pavia might not quite possess the same traits that helped players like Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray overcome that limitation. With more complex defenses and higher-level talent awaiting him in the NFL, he is likely facing a steep climb.

While his rookie minicamp opportunity with Baltimore doesn’t guarantee a spot on the 53-man roster for the 2026 season, it does give him a path forward. The next step now is for him to make the most of that opportunity after going undrafted.