Three undrafted quarterbacks practiced at Saturday's rookie minicamp practice – Diego Pavia, former Connecticut signal caller Joe Fagnano, and Baltimore native and Mount St. Joseph High product Billy Atkins.
They're competing for a roster spot behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, and Pavia's presence as the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up is drawing attention.
Head Coach Jesse Minter wants to see how Pavia takes advantage of an opportunity to compete at the NFL level.
"Diego, just like a lot of the undrafted free agents, is trying to make his mark," Minter said. "I know the program (Vanderbilt) he came from, I know a lot of people that worked with him. A really hard worker. He really helped elevate that program. He's in the door, show us what you can do, let the chips fall where they may.
"He's had some experiences that are learning experiences that he can learn from and be better from. This guy played quarterback in the SEC and played at a high level. It's a cool story for him. For us, we see an opportunity to bring a player in that could potentially be something."
Minter said he has not decided how many quarterbacks he will carry on the 90-man roster this summer before final roster cuts are made.
"I think that's a little bit in flux," Minter said. "I think there's a place for anywhere from three to five, especially for the offseason, just to make sure we have everything covered."
Minter Is 'Stoked' About Calais Campbell's Pending Return
Minter confirmed the Ravens have agreed to terms with veteran defensive lineman Calias Campbell. Asked how he felt about Campbell's pending arrival, Minter paused and smiled.
"Stoked," Minter said. "He'll be here sometime this week to finalize things. Really excited about it. This guy had 6.5 sacks last year, he's still playing at such an unbelievable level.
"We all know what type of man, person, teammate, and leader that he is. But this is because he's such a really good player at this age. He'll really help us. He'll be great for the young guys, of course, because that's who Calais is. But I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings on the field. I think he'll help us both in the run and pass game."
Zion Young's Ceiling Is 'Tremendously High'
Rookie tight end Josh Cuevas didn't need any introduction to Zion Young.
The two faced off in college when Cuevas was at Alabama and Young was at Missouri. Coaches asked Cuevas at the Combine who some of the most difficult players to go up against were during his time in college. The 6-foot-5, 262-pound Young immediately popped into Cuevas' head.
In his meeting with the Crimson Tide in October, Young had five tackles, a strip sack, and one pass defensed. Alabama earned the win in that contest, but Young's ability stuck out to Cuevas.
"Zion Young, he's got so much potential," Cuevas said. "His ceiling is tremendously high. He does everything right. He's got a deep bag – spin move, push-pull, bull rush, everything."
Young, along with the others in the rookie class, like first-round guard Vega Ioane, made a good first impression on the coaching staff. The two-day minicamp set a strong foundation for the work ahead.
"The guys that you hope and want to look really good have done that," Minter said. "They've met those initial hopes and expectations of what you kind of want Vega to look like coming off the ball or Zion to look like striking a sled."
