Diego Pavia’s career was defined by proving people wrong. After showing his class at the New Mexico Military Institute and New Mexico State Aggies, he eventually transferred to the Vanderbilt Commodores. There, he led one of the biggest turnarounds in SEC history.
In his final season, Pavia threw for 3,539 yards and led the conference with a 70.6% completion rate. He also added 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, leading the Commodores to a 10-3 record season that ended with a loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Pavia finished second for the Heisman behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, but he didn't take the loss so softly. Following the ceremony, he posted some strong messages attacking the voters, which triggered an immediate backlash.
Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Now entering the 2026 NFL Draft, Pavia is adding another unconventional chapter. Unlike the vast majority of prospects at this stage of the pre-draft process, the 24-year-old signal-caller is heading to the league without an agent.
During a recent appearance on Barstool Sports' "Gruden's QB Class," former Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden asked whether he had representation. Pavia didn't hesitate to say that he does not want to spend big right now.
He said, "No, I'm representing myself. I didn't think it was fair that someone was gonna represent me and take five to 10%. Ain't nobody taking my money, I'll tell you that."
It's worth noting that the NFL caps agent commissions at 3% on contract value. So, Pavia’s concern about "5-10%" likely reflects the higher fees common in NIL and endorsement deals, where commissions are less regulated.
But this can be risky since he tried to follow stars like Lamar Jackson and Caleb Williams, who represented themselves during their draft. The problem is that they were first-round locks. But Pavia is projected as a Day 3 pick or a free agent because the pre-draft process hasn't helped him much.
At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 28, he measured 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds, confirming he is significantly shorter than Vanderbilt’s 6-foot listing.
However, ESPN’s Jordan Reid currently ranks him 12th among quarterbacks in the 2026 class. He described Pavia's stature as an "extreme outlier" for a potential late-round pick.
Pavia also slammed the height narrative with a defiant response on "Gruden's QB Class," saying, "The guys that I'm playing every single Saturday are the guys you're drafting first round. So why does 5'10'' even really matter? Go watch the tape."
He recently visited the Carolina Panthers for a pre-draft top-30 visit, suggesting at least some teams are willing to take a serious look at him. So, whether he actually hears his name called on April 23 without an agent in his corner remains to be seen.
