Where Does Vanderbilt Star Diego Pavia Rank on List of Impactful Quarterbacks?

Vanderbilt's star quarterback finds himself in an interesting spot on this list of most impactful players at the position.

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) warms up before the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

When Vanderbilt got the news that Diego Pavia had won his lawsuit against the NCAA and was granted another year of eligibility, that completely changed the outlook of this team for 2025.

Not only did that allow them to grab some more offensive skill position transfers in the portal during the winter cycle, but the continuity at quarterback combined with what he was able to do this past campaign gives them another season of having a potentially top-notch signal caller.

But where does Pavia come in on On3's list of impactful college quarterbacks in 2025?

They have him at No. 14, behind seven others in the SEC.

Here's how their list looks:
1. Sam Leavitt
2. Drew Allar
3. DJ Lagway
4. Arch Manning
5. LaNorris Sellers
6. Garrett Nussmeier
7. Carson Beck
8. Cade Klubnik
9. John Mateer
10. Nico Iamaleava
11. Josh Hoover
12. Taylen Green
13. Eli Holstein
14. Diego Pavia
15. CJ Bailey
16. Darian Mensah
17. Behren Morton
18. Sawyer Robertson
19. Rocco Becht
20. Avery Johnson
21. Luke Altmeyer
22. Jayden Maiava
23. Dylan Raiola
24. Miller Moss
25. Julian Sayin

The criteria On3 based their top 25 list on was "a blend of proven production and potential based on skill set."

Could one argue that Pavia is too low?

Certainly.

Especially with what he did for Vanderbilt in 2024 and how much better the offense could be this season based on the returning production and weapons they landed in the portal.

However, there's also the other side of the coin that Pavia might be maxed out and his ceiling is exactly what it was last year when he threw for over 2,200 yards, ran for 800 more, accounted for 28 total touchdowns with only four interceptions.

The Commodores star did have just under 4,000 total yards with 33 total touchdowns at New Mexico State his final year there, but considering that level of competition is much lower than what the SEC provides, it's hard to imagine he'd put up those types of numbers this season even with the new weapons.

Pavia has proven doubters wrong throughout his entire career, and while being ranked as the 14th-most impactful quarterback in 2025 isn't a slight by any means, seeing seven others in the conference ranked ahead of him should certainly provide more motivation.