Diego Pavia is hoping to separate himself as one of the better quarterbacks in this class, and the Vanderbilt product spoke on immaturity concerns by suggesting his brain hasn't fully formed yet
14:18 ET, 27 Feb 2026Updated 14:19 ET, 27 Feb 2026
Diego Pavia enjoyed a tremendously productive 2025 season
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Diego Pavia enjoyed a tremendously productive 2025 season(Image: Getty Images)
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia attempted to downplay any fears over his perceived immaturity by insisting his brain still has one more year of development.
Pavia is one of several quarterbacks hoping to separate themselves in the 2026 NFL Draft class. For many, it’s Fernando Mendoza and the rest, but Pavia provides intrigue among a crowded group looking to sneak into the top two round.
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Last season, Pavia finished second in the Heisman Trophy behind Indiana star Mendoza. He enjoyed a stellar season, throwing for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 scores. However, he is battling immaturity and size issues as he looks to make it in the pros.
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Pavia guided Vanderbilt to their first 10-win season in school history, with victories over SEC titans like Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn during his two seasons with the program. Pavia is listed at just 5-9 and 198 pounds, so question marks surround his ability to enjoy a long and productive NFL career.
But while he can do little about his size, his mentality is something he can turn around. Pavia hit headlines for the wrong reasons at times, and immediately played down immaturity fears at the NFL Combine.
“[Vanderbilt] Coach [Clark] Lea always pressed that your frontal lobe isn't fully developed til you're 25, and I just turned 24,” Pavia told reporters in Indianapolis with a smile. “So I've got like 365 days to go.”
Much like Johnny Manziel, who Pavia referred to as a friend who has “givn me some mentorship,” the quarterback was never far from immaturity. He took to social media to lambast multiple Heisman voters and Indiana following his second-place finish behind Hoosiers quarterback Mendoza. While he later apologized for the posts, it wasn’t a good look.
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Diego Pavia is trying to rewrite his script as he bids to be an early selection in the NFL Draft
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Diego Pavia is trying to rewrite his script as he bids to be an early selection in the NFL Draft(Image: Getty Images)
“One thing about me is I don’t care what people think about me,” Pavia continued. “God has a plan for me regardless. But the way the media is, they’re supposed to put out clickbait and things like that.
“That’s how people get views, and that’s how people make money. I understand that. And so people will twist a story and try to put out bad media to get clicks, good media to get clicks. That’s just today’s world that we live in. So I’m just adjusting to the new world.”
Pavia did try to allay fears surrounding his immaturity. He insisted his experience will help his mentality translate effectively to the next level, and outlined his understanding of what it takes to win.
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“I played six years of college football. Two at Juco, two aT xx, two at Vanderbilt. I feel like I can process a defense really fast, get the ball where it needs to go, check us into good plays and stay out of bad plays. I feel like that’s how I stay on schedule, and that’s how you win football games.”
Pavia is due to throw at the Combine on Saturday.