Former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia finally found an opportunity to make the NFL, but it’s not a guarantee.
Pavia will join the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie minicamp tryout player this upcoming weekend after going undrafted for a chance to make the team’s offseason roster.
If Pavia doesn’t sign with the Ravens, what’s next for the 2025 Heisman finalist and Commodores legend?
Let’s break down a few options of what he could do next for his football career if it’s not in Baltimore. He’ll have his options, but the odds of him seeing an NFL field in 2026 are slim at the moment.
Sign with another NFL team
The easiest path for Pavia right now is to latch on with another team in the offseason that has interest in him competing for a roster or practice squad spot.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he’ll have interest elsewhere in the NFL if his tryout with the Ravens doesn’t go as hoped.
“There are other teams that want to bring [Diego Pavia] in if the Ravens don’t sign him.” 👀@AdamSchefter talks about what could be next for Diego Pavia 🏈
(via @patmcafeeshow) pic.twitter.com/U0uV0kGOMn
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 27, 2026
Change positions and forge a Taysom Hill-type NFL career
It’s possible Pavia could swap out his quarterback career for one as a tight end or running back. Taysom Hill has the clearest path possible for a former quarterback who changed positions and thrived in the NFL. Pavia has the grit and athleticism to forge a Hill-esque career. However, he’d probably need to switch over soon to start learning.
Head up to the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Blue Bombers own Pavia’s CFL rights, so that means they’d have the right to sign him if he was interested in heading up north to start a professional football career. Perhaps he could land in the NFL eventually after proving his abilities in the CFL? Some NFL players have benefitted from a CFL career first.
Diego Pavia’s CFL rights belong to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who added him to their negotiation list in 2024.
After going undrafted, Pavia agreed to attend the Ravens’ rookie minicamp. If he doesn’t make Baltimore’s roster and decides to play in the CFL, Winnipeg will have… pic.twitter.com/oOXKS8bktu
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 27, 2026
Join the UFL as the league’s biggest player in a good while
The other major non-NFL football league is the UFL, where Pavia would likely be the most sought-after player yet. He’s got the star power and general quarterbacking ability to make a mark in the UFL and get on NFL teams’ radars.
Go into broadcasting or launch a media venture
If football doesn’t eventually work out for Pavia, we could see him going into college football broadcasting or even starting a media venture of his own, like a Pavia podcast of sorts. He could probably thrive in that space.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What’s next for Diego Pavia? 5 options outside of Ravens, like CFL and UFL