Stacked odds against Diego Pavia are nothing new for the departing Vanderbilt quarterback. His national rise to prominence culminated with a Heisman runner-up finish behind projected No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza.
Pavia must buck historical norms once again to make it at the next level after the dual-threat star measured at 5-9 7/8 inches at the Senior Bowl. Vanderbilt listed Pavia at 6-foot. Short quarterbacks are commodities in the NFL with Carolina’s Bryce Young and Arizona’s Kyler Murray being the smallest draft picks in the modern era at 5-10 1/8 inches.
The only sub 5-foot-9 quarterbacks selected NFL Draft in history are Davey O’Brien (5-foot-7) in 1939 and Eddie LeBaron (5-foot-7) in 1952. Doug Flutie, at 5-10, was an 11th-rounder in 1985 at No. 285 overall.
Pavia made more than $2 million at Vanderbilt last season after being granted a temporary injunction for a sixth year of college football. However, Pavia would make history if selected. Pavia is not listed amongst the draftable options at the position via CBS Sports’ updated player rankings. Weighing in at 198 pounds, he would be the lightest quarterback in history, too.
Pavia was Vanderbilt’s first All-America quarterback since Bill Wade in 1951 and the program’s first Heisman finalist. Pavia threw for 3,539 passing yards, galloped his way to 862 rushing yards and accounted for 39 total touchdowns.
Pavia led the Power Four in total offense and accounted for more than 70% of Vanderbilt’s total yards. By comparison, no other Heisman finalist topped 50% this season. Pavia, a CBS Sports All-America First Teamer and National Player of the Year, must impress NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl and, potentially, the NFL Combine.
“I’m so excited for him to be able to shoot his shot in the NFL, and I’m never betting against that guy,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said after the Reliaquest Bowl. “This guy is going to make it. He’s not only going to make it, he’s going to find a way to play at the level he’s found a way to play at for us. I believe that with all my heart.”
Pavia will be 24 years old by April’s draft, the same age as Caleb Wiliams and C.J. Stroud, who have five seasons worth of combined NFL starts under their belts.
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