Diego Pavia going undrafted was one of the most shocking things that happened at the 2026 NFL Draft. The star quarterback represented the Vanderbilt Commodores in the last two years of his college career.
In his last season for the Commodores, Pavia had 3539 yards with 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He finished second in the Heisman race behind the Indiana Hoosiers’ quarterback, Fernando Mendoza.
Pavia became the first Heisman finalist since Jordan Lynch in 2014 to go undrafted. Some people celebrated the fact that Pavia went undrafted. Now, he has signed a three-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
However, the question remains: why is Diego Pavia disliked by many? Pavia is a 24-year-old, 5’10 quarterback. Based on his college run, there’s no denying that he possesses the talent to be a top quarterback.
While the talent is undeniable, Pavia has always been what many consider a villain. He speaks his mind, rarely holds back, and isn’t afraid to face the consequences of his words or actions. What some see as a fearless quality, others seem to dislike.
Despite knowing that he isn’t adored like some of his fellow quarterbacks in the country, Pavia never bothered to keep himself in check. Be it his comments on Bussin’ with the Boys podcast about Vanderbilt running the state of Tennessee or his promoting himself as a Heisman contender, Pavia’s actions always rubbed people the wrong way.
Pavia didn’t help his case after he lost the Heisman to Fernando Mendoza. The star quarterback took to Instagram and called out the voters in an expletive rant.
“F-All the voters, but…family for life,” he wrote.
Some might argue that Pavia had reasons to rant online about losing the Heisman trophy, but his actions showed people that he doesn’t know how to handle a loss. It also reaffirmed to some that he lacks sportsmanship, which only added to the dislike people have for him.
Diego Pavia Apologized for His Rant
When the discussions around his Instagram story and calling out the voters were heating up, Pavia took to X to issue an apology. He stated that it was an honor to be a finalist for the coveted trophy.
“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to,” he wrote.
“I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”
Pavia heaped praise on Fernando Mendoza for being an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the Heisman trophy. Unfortunately, the apology didn’t help in changing the minds of people who dislike him.
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