Albuquerque native Diego Pavia pursues NFL dream despite height concerns

The 5-foot-10 Heisman runner-up from Albuquerque shrugs off size concerns as he chases an NFL shot after rewriting Vanderbilt history.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:07pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a football player in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic action of the game.Diego Pavia's unconventional path to the NFL has been defined by his ability to defy expectations and excel on the field, despite concerns over his height.Albuquerque Today

Diego Pavia, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has overcome doubts about his height to become a standout quarterback at the college level. After a successful career at Vanderbilt, where he led the team to its first 10-win season in school history, Pavia is now pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL despite concerns that his 5-foot-10 stature may be too small for the professional league.

Why it matters

Pavia's story highlights the challenges that undersized players face in the NFL, where height and size are often prioritized over other attributes. However, his impressive college performance has shown that he can compete at the highest level, and his determination to prove the doubters wrong could inspire other players who face similar obstacles.

The details

Pavia, who was not recruited out of high school, went to junior college and then transferred to Vanderbilt, where he led the team to a 10-3 record and the highest AP ranking since 1937. He was the AP SEC offensive player of the year, completing 71% of his passes for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns, while also rushing for 862 yards and 10 touchdowns. Despite his success, Pavia's height has raised concerns about his ability to play quarterback in the NFL, where only three quarterbacks 5-10 or shorter have started since the league's merger with the AFL in 1970.

  • Pavia was the AP SEC offensive player of the year in 2025.
  • Vanderbilt went 10-3 in 2025, the first 10-win season in school history.
  • Pavia visited the Carolina Panthers on April 7, 2026.

The players

Diego Pavia

A 5-foot-10 quarterback from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who had a standout career at Vanderbilt, leading the team to its first 10-win season and earning SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2025.

Eli Stowers

A former teammate of Pavia's at New Mexico State and Vanderbilt, who switched to tight end after playing quarterback and believes Pavia is the best player he's ever been around.

Jordan White

Vanderbilt's center, who snapped the ball to Pavia and was amazed by the quarterback's ability to make great plays every time he took the snap.

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What they’re saying

“Can the kid play football? And Diego was the best player in college football last year. He led the entire country in total yards. I mean, he won 10 games and got us to the point where we had two winning seasons back-to-back after going 2-10 the year before.”

— Eli Stowers, Former teammate

“I know every time I snap it to him, a great play's going to be made no matter what it is.”

— Jordan White, Vanderbilt center

“What's true about me is I'm humble and I get my confidence from my process. And if you saw how much I put into this, you would see where I get my confidence for anything.”

— Diego Pavia

What’s next

Pavia will continue to meet with NFL teams as he prepares for the upcoming draft, where he will look to prove that his height is not a hindrance to his ability to play quarterback at the professional level.

The takeaway

Diego Pavia's story is a testament to the power of determination and hard work. Despite facing doubts about his size, he has consistently proven himself as a top-tier quarterback, and his journey to the NFL could inspire other players who are told they are too small to compete at the highest level.