Diego Pavia could be this year’s Shedeur Sanders when it comes to the drop from a highly respected NFL Draft prospect in December to sliding in April. At least, that might be how it appeared to be trending early in the Vanderbilt Commodores’ battle against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Pavia failed to score first, and college football fans let him have it. Some fans were harsher than others, but many were negative about the college quarterback.
“Diego Pavia draft stock 📉📉📉 (if he even had any before),” one declared.
“I can’t stand Diego pavia,” another vented.
“Vandy getting the shaft with this TV crew because the way Pavia acted after Heisman? Comical yes but these guys are horrible,” one added.
More fans reacted negatively amid Pavia’s slow start.
“Second Vanderbilt drive stopped when Pavia moves his offense around and then gets drilled in the backfield LoLoL,” another posted.
“Everybody talks about Diego Pavia but everything I’ve seen of Clark Lea indicates he’s a piece of work as well. Trashy program all around in Nashville,” one added.
“Pavia’s struggle with Iowa pressure shows exactly why he continues to push for college eligibility. His pocket presence is ugly to watch,” another assessed.
The 23rd-ranked Hawkeyes took an early 7-0 lead in the Reliaquest Bowl over Diego Pavia and the 14th-ranked Commodores. Pavia found himself trailing despite an early interception from Mark Gronowski that should have helped him out. It took until 7:49 in the second quarter for Pavia’s offense to get any points, and it came in the form of a 41-yard field goal.
Exploring Diego Pavia’s NFL Draft Stock Heading Into 2026 NFL Draft
While the Reliaquest Bowl’s first half didn’t exactly help Diego Pavia’s draft stock, it was just a slice of the big picture. In his college career, Pavia showed the ability to throw with accuracy and carve defenses with his arm. However, he also showed the ability to make significant gains on the ground.
Pavia led the SEC in completion percentage, yards per attempt and air yards per attempt. He also earned at least 800 yards on the ground in each of his final three seasons.
Some might compare him to a discount Lamar Jackson on the ground, but a better Lamar Jackson in terms of throwing ability. This sets up the chance for him to excel in different offenses in the NFL, but questions about his ability to avoid controversy could hold him back. There’s a long way to go until April, but Pavia’s early reading is seemingly a net positive at the start of the pre-draft process.
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