From Walk-On to NFL Hopeful: Diego Pavia Lands Deal with Ravens Ahead of Rookie Minicamp

April 28, 2026 - 19:45

Diego Pavia, the undrafted quarterback who has spent his entire college career defying expectations, is getting another shot at proving the doubters wrong. The polarizing signal-caller has agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Ravens and will join the team for rookie minicamp, according to multiple reports.

Pavia’s path to the professional ranks has been anything but conventional. After beginning his college career as a walk-on at New Mexico Military Institute, he transferred to New Mexico State, where he became a two-year starter. In 2023, he led the Aggies to a stunning 10-5 record, including a victory over Auburn and a bowl game win, earning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors. He then transferred to Vanderbilt for the 2024 season, where he helped the Commodores pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory—a 40-35 win over No. 1 Alabama.

Despite those accomplishments, Pavia went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, a slight that has become a recurring theme in his career. Standing at 6-foot-0 and lacking elite arm strength, he has often been overlooked by scouts who question his physical tools. What he lacks in prototypical measurables, however, he makes up for in intangibles: toughness, mobility, and an uncanny ability to make plays under pressure.

Now, Pavia will have to earn his way onto a Ravens roster that already features superstar Lamar Jackson and a stable of young backups. He will enter a competitive environment where roster spots are scarce, but if his college career is any indication, counting him out would be a mistake. The Ravens’ rookie minicamp begins later this week, and Pavia will have his first opportunity to prove he belongs.