Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia has accepted an invitation to Ravens rookie minicamp (May 1-3), according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Pavia finished second behind Las Vegas quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the Heisman Trophy voting. Pavia is the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014.
During his four college seasons, two with New Mexico State and two with Vanderbilt, Pavia was one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks. He threw for 10,255 yards, rushed for 3,094 yards, and accounted for 119 touchdowns. Last season, Pavia led the SEC in completion percentage (70), passing touchdowns (29), and yards per attempt (9.4) and accounted for more than 70% of the Commodores' total offense. His efforts led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season.
However, Pavia measured 5-foot-9, 7/8 inches at the NFL Combine, and there were concerns about his size and advanced age (24) for a rookie. His behavior after not winning the Heisman also raised some concerns. Pavia posted a message on Instagram and used an obscenity while criticizing the Heisman voters, before he later apologized on social media.
Pavia played the past two seasons for Vanderbilt Head Coach Clark Lea, a former coaching colleague of Ravens Head Coach Jesse Minter. Lea hired Minter as Vanderbilt's defensive coordinator in 2021, where Minter worked one season before leaving to become Michigan's defensive coordinator.
