Skip Bayless Makes Stance Clear on Diego Pavia Following NFL Draft Nightmare

Diego Pavia had one of the most remarkable college football runs in recent memory. The Vanderbilt quarterback led the Commodores to a 10-2 regular-season record, finished as a Heisman Trophy runner-up, and earned First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American honors.

Then the NFL Draft came and went without his name being called.

Pavia became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since Jordan Lynch in 2014 to go undrafted, and the situation only got more complicated when he failed to quickly land a standard undrafted free agent deal. He eventually accepted a tryout invitation to the Baltimore Ravens' rookie minicamp.

Skip Bayless defends Pavia after Ravens minicamp invite

The Vanderbilt faithful were not the only ones stunned. Sports media personality Skip Bayless, a Vanderbilt alum himself, took to social media to express his disbelief.

"I realize his off-field has caused some concerns, but Diego Pavia deserved better than a minicamp tryout with the Ravens," Bayless wrote. "He did lead the Vanderbilt Commodores to a 6-2 SEC record, did beat Bama the season before, did scare Texas twice."

I realize his off-field has caused some concerns, but Diego Pavia deserved better than a minicamp tryout with the Ravens. He did lead the Vanderbilt Commodores to a 6-2 SEC record, did beat Bama the season before, did scare Texas twice.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 27, 2026

This was not a new position for Bayless.

Back in December, he argued Pavia should have won the Heisman over Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, writing that Pavia "deserved this award for his performance on the field, even if his swagger and edge rubbed some voters and viewers the wrong way."

Pavia's size and attitude complicated his draft stock

NFL scouts acknowledged Pavia's production but consistently flagged his 5-foot-10 frame as a problem. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein noted that while Pavia "elevates those around him," he "lacks ideal mechanics" and that "quarterbacks his size rarely make NFL rosters."

Off-field concerns added to the friction. An NFC scouting director told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that the "schtick gets old" around Pavia, a reference to his outspoken personality and a social media post following the Heisman ceremony in which he wrote "F-All the voters," for which he later apologized.

Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws the ball during the Commodores' pro day. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite the noise, his teammate Eli Stowers put it plainly during Vanderbilt's pro day: "Diego was the best player in college football last year. He led the entire country in total yards."

Pavia will now look to prove his doubters wrong during the Ravens' rookie minicamp.

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