Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, a Heisman Trophy finalist, has received a rookie minicamp tryout invitation from the Baltimore Ravens after going undrafted. The polarizing playmaker led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season last year. Pavia now aims to earn a spot on the Ravens roster.
Diego Pavia became the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted since 2014. The 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm winner set Vanderbilt single-season records with 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. He averaged 338.5 yards of total offense per game, ranking second in the FBS, per CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz, who first reported the Ravens invitation on a tryout basis. Vanderbilt listed him at 6 feet, but he measured 5-foot-9⅞ inches at the NFL Scouting Combine—the shortest among current NFL quarterbacks. At 24 years old, with his career starting in 2020, Pavia faces additional hurdles from scouts who view his confidence as arrogance outside the locker room. In a CBS Sports interview, he said people often mistake his bravado for arrogance. After finishing second in Heisman voting to Fernando Mendoza, Pavia drew attention for a New York club photo near a sign reading 'F--- Indiana' and a social media post captioned 'F--- ALL THE VOTERS, BUT ... FAMILY FOR LIFE.' He later apologized for the post. The Ravens, under new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, offer Pavia a chance to learn from two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Baltimore currently rosters only Jackson and Tyler Huntley at quarterback.
