Pat McAfee Takes Firm Stand for Diego Pavia Following NFL Draft Nightmare

The 2026 NFL Draft delivered its share of surprises, but none bigger than Diego Pavia not hearing his name called.

A Heisman Trophy runner-up, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and the engine behind the greatest season in Vanderbilt history, going undrafted? That’s the kind of outcome that forces the entire football world to reassess how it evaluates quarterbacks.

And now, a new voice has poured gasoline on that conversation.

On Sunday, Pat McAfee weighed in and didn’t hold back.

"I loved what Diego Pavia did for college ball.. just an absolute sensation. Turning Vanderbilt into a football school quickly. I think a lot of what made him fantastic for College was also gonna be what held him back as an NFL prospect," McAfee wrote. "Size, speed, style of play, personality.. You name it, all of it PERFECT for college, not necessarily the prototypical NFL prospect.”

"If he gets in a building and finds success, I’d be pumped for him and his family ... NOW If it doesn’t work out ... is he not the UFL QB Blueprint? ... I think we all assume the clips, regardless of outcome, would go for a bit. Feels like an opportune time for the UFL.. and for the Pavia show," he added.

I loved what Diego Pavia did for college ball.. just an absolute sensation. Turning Vanderbilt into a football school quickly.

I think a lot of what made him fantastic for College was also gonna be what held him back as an NFL “prospect”.. Size, speed, style of play,… pic.twitter.com/d5IZNKwQZm
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 26, 2026

A Historic College Star… Without an NFL Home

In 2025, Pavia threw for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns, completing 70.6% of his passes while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores.

He also carried Vanderbilt to unprecedented heights, leading the Commodores to their first-ever 10-win season.

Pavia accounted for a massive share of the offense (over 70% of total production), won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and earned First-Team All-American honors.

He also made history, becoming the first Heisman finalist since 2014 to go undrafted.

Heartbreaking: Vanderbilt star QB Diego Pavia becomes the first Heisman finalist since 2014 to go undrafted.

Pavia invited all his friends and family to watch the draft together in hopes of getting a call.

The setup for his draft party 😔💔 pic.twitter.com/GUcDjjUl57
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 26, 2026

Why NFL Teams Passed

Despite the production, the scouting concerns never went away, and ultimately won out.

The biggest knocks:

Size: Measured just under 5-foot-10, 207 pounds at the NFL Combine
Play style: Heavy RPO usage, off-script improvisation
Arm talent ceiling: Viewed as average by NFL standards
Personality: Confident, sometimes polarizing, occasionally controversial

Multiple evaluators questioned whether his game could translate. One scout bluntly described him as a “runaround, RPO college quarterback with an average arm.”

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. — Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (QB14) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Future vs. UFL Blueprint

In the short term, Pavia will almost certainly land somewhere, likely as a priority UDFA. His competitiveness and production alone will earn him a camp shot.

But the long-term outlook is where things get interesting.

For Pavia to stick in the NFL, he’ll need to find a coach willing to build around his strengths and a franchise with the patience to let him develop more as a passer.

He’s not a plug-and-play backup. He’s a developmental bet.

However, if he were to play in the UFL first, as McAfee suggested, Pavia could start immediately, play a style of football tailored more to his strengths, and build further on his national brand.

From there, he could then potentially parlay that success back into the NFL.

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