Ravens Make Diego Pavia Decision After Vanderbilt Star Goes Undrafted
It might not be a big surprise that Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia didn't hear his name called during the entirety of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pavia, who finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza, had an uphill battle to be selected during the draft.
Then, other QBs such as LSU's Garrett Nussmeier slid far, with the Tigers signal-caller being selected in the seventh round by the Kansas City Chiefs.
That means Pavia wound up going undrafted, becoming the first Heisman Trophy finalist to do so since Jordan Lynch in 2014.
In total, 10 quarterbacks heard their names called during the 2026 NFL Draft, and they are as follows:
- Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
- Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams
- Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals
- Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cade Klubnik, New York Jets
- Cole Payton, Philadelphia Eagles
- Taylen Green, Cleveland Browns
- Athan Kaliakmanis, Washington Commanders
- Behren Morton, New England Patriots
- Garrett Nussmeier, Kansas City Chiefs
However, Pavia received some encouraging news with the Ravens giving him an invite to the rookie minicamp coming up, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Vanderbilt undrafted free agent QB Diego Pavia accepted an invitation to next weekend's minicamp with the Baltimore Ravens, per source. pic.twitter.com/5nBIH1rHc7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2026
UConn Huskies QB Joe Fagnano also received an invite to Ravens minicamp, so there will be some competition for Pavia.
While Pavia showcased his talent during his college career, the biggest concerns were his age and his size, not to mention his off-the-field antics, so seeing him slide out of the draft wasn't too much of a surprise.
Can Pavia Make the Roster?
As it stands, the Ravens have Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley as the QBs on the roster.
So, based on that, Pavia's skill set and ability to be used in the passing game and running game fit the style of QBs the Ravens already have.
With that being said, Pavia seems to have a legitimate shot to earn a spot going into training camp and potentially be able to land a practice squad spot or even a QB2 spot, depending on what the Ravens do with Huntley.
For now, Pavia will prepare for minicamp.
Related: Diego Pavia Reveals Johnny Manziel Advice Ahead of NFL Draft
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 12:19 AM.