Diego Pavia is a 5’10”, 207-pound quarterback from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who attended Volcano Vista High School before beginning his collegiate career at New Mexico State. In 2024, he transferred to Vanderbilt University, where he elevated his profile against SEC competition. He is a 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner, 2025 Heisman Finalist, and 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, after previously earning 2023 CUSA Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Pavia shows decisive recognition over coverage with minimal hesitation, and his competitive toughness stands out as he plays through contact and quickly resets after mistakes. Though smaller-framed, he has quick, active feet and functional acceleration. He demonstrates good pocket awareness and mobility, extending plays and operating as a dynamic second-reaction quarterback outside of structure.
As a quarterback, Pavia protects the football and manages risk effectively. He displays advanced situational awareness in critical moments and consistently delivers a catchable ball with controlled placement. He shows comfort accessing checkdowns rather than forcing contested throws.
Overall, Diego Pavia offers second-reaction poise, escapability, and comfort operating outside of structure. While his size and durability remain limiting factors for a long-term starting role, his decisiveness and playmaking ability provide an appealing developmental profile. He projects as a situational quarterback capable of producing in both structured timing concepts and extended, improvised scenarios.
Scheme and Team Fit:
Pavia projects best in an offensive system that can utilize his mobility and his comfort operating outside of structure while limiting the consistent demands for full-field progression. Teams that value quarterbacks who can create when protection breaks down while still executing timing-based concepts would maximize his strengths. He would fit well with the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings.
Projection: 3rd String QB
Although Pavia earned national recognition as a Heisman finalist and produced at a high level in college, his professional projection trends toward a third-string quarterback role. His competitiveness and playmaking ability allow him to extend plays and create outside of structure. However, his smaller build relative to the position raises durability concerns for long-term use. Continued growth in timing, pocket discipline, and decision-making will be important for his development.
Player Comp: Gardner Minshew II
Pavia mirrors Gardner Minshew II in his second-reaction ability, poise, and willingness to operate within structure while capitalizing on off-schedule opportunities. Both quarterbacks show comfort in extending plays outside the pocket and maintaining their vision downfield when the protection breaks down. Their games rely on rhythm passing, functional mobility, and the ability to create throwing opportunities late in the down rather than overwhelming physical tools. Pavia also shows a similar willingness to challenge coverage when plays move off script. Like Minshew II, questions surrounding overall size and arm ceiling may influence how teams ultimately project his role at the professional level.
Grade and Round Projection: 5 – Good | 2nd Round
Pavia earns a grade of 5 based on his film, showing good overall ability, playmaking instincts, escapability, and the confidence to extend plays beyond the structure. His collegiate production and Heisman finalist recognition highlight his ability to lead an offense and perform in high-pressure situations, though his smaller frame and durability remain questions. With continued refinement in pocket discipline and timing, he projects as a second-round selection.
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