Video The NFL Will Humble You The NFL Humbled Diego Pavia
Diego Pavia's preparation for the NFL Draft looks like it included some time spent at a strip club in his hometown of Albuquerque, N.M.
The Vanderbilt standout's pre-draft visit, which happened earlier this month, was reported by TMZ Tuesday morning, days after the Heisman runner-up failed to land an NFL home. It's just the latest in a series off-field issues that have dogged the quarterback as he chases his dream of playing professional football.
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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws the ball during football pro day at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., on March 20, 2026. (ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Pavia has been surrounded by headlines, from stories involving his inner circle being arrested to viral moments like the "F— the voters" sign after the Heisman Trophy ceremony. For one of the most polarizing figures in college football over the past three seasons, the odds are once again stacked against him.
His invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ minicamp is an opportunity — but also a reminder of where he stands — and it’s far from a guarantee.
This isn’t a slight from the NFL. Teams do their homework -- extensively. And for a 5-foot-9 quarterback without prototypical size or arm strength, the margin for error is already razor thin.
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The problem is that teams don't want the hassle of dealing with things out of their control, or people that don't take their job interviews seriously enough. Case in point: Hanging out at the strip club and acting like you're a cast member in "Varsity Blues" is not the best way to impress teams.
No one is saying a young athlete can’t enjoy his free time. But in the most important stretch of his career, everything is evaluated. If media outlets and sources are aware of it, NFL security teams most likely knew beforehand.
That doesn’t automatically define him—but it certainly adds to the conversation.
There also comes a time when folks who cover the NFL Draft need to do a better job at finding facts, and not solely going off something you hear on a podcast.
Over draft weekend, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio criticized Pavia for supposedly not having an NFL agent. The problem? He does. Pavia signed with agent Malki Kawa back in January.
His previous comments to Jon Gruden about not wanting an agent to get a percentage of his deals were in reference to his college career -- not his NFL representation. In fact, handling much of that business himself likely saved him money during his time at Vanderbilt.
Yes, Pavia had marketing folks around him that helped with appearances, but not a full-blown agent who was getting a 3% cut of his deals. That's smart business, if it pays off. And, judging by the amount of money he made during his time in Nashville, Pavia saved himself a good chunk of revenue by doing it without a certified agent.
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But since Florio did not feel the need to take two minutes out of his time to research that Pavia had signed with Kawa, the narrative around the former Vanderbilt quarterback shifted again.
Oh, the tweet and story from Pro Football Talk is still up, with a small editor's note at the bottom that essentially noted that the author didn’t research the topic before deciding to write.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
When the quarterback shows up to his tryout this weekend, the pressure is on to prove doubters wrong.
If Pavia doesn't do enough on the field in Baltimore to garner some type of contract, his representation will start fielding other calls.
Will that next offer come from an NFL team or someone from the UFL? The one thing I won't do is doubt the former Vanderbilt quarterback.
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Heisman Trophy finalist Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia speaks during an NCAA college football news conference before the award ceremony in New York on Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Why? Because he's proved so many people wrong over the last three seasons. He helped Vanderbilt into playoff contention and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting this past season.
He set records and became a villain to opposing fans while being one of the most talked about players in the sport. And he did it without an arrest or mugshot plastered across the internet.
In the end, he'll get his shot at the NFL. If it doesn't work out, he'll make his way to professional spring football, or to Canada.
Either way, folks can't stop talking about the quarterback.
FOLLOW TREY WALLACE ON X: @TREYWALLACE
Trey Wallace is the Sr. College Sports Reporter for OutKick.
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