After Diego Pavia went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, Deion Sanders posted a supportive message urging him to keep pushing. What this means for Pavia’s next NFL step.
Deion Sanders didn’t wait long to show support for Diego Pavia after the former Vanderbilt quarterback was not selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sanders posted a clear. personal message aimed at keeping Pavia’s confidence intact: “I BELIEVE IN YOU MY MAN!” he wrote. adding. “Stay strong and don’t let up.. Show them what time it is and never allow them to forget.” For Pavia. that kind of public encouragement lands at a tense moment. but it also mirrors a reality many quarterbacks face—draft disappointment is rarely the end of the path.
Pavia’s college résumé is exactly the kind teams point to when they’re looking for proven production.. As a final-season starter at Vanderbilt, he completed 70.6% of his passes for 3,539 yards, throwing 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions.. His profile also came with elite recognition: he was a Heisman Trophy finalist. ultimately finishing second in voting behind former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Still, the NFL draft process evaluates far more than résumé lines.. Pavia’s measurements became a central talking point, especially his size and reach.. At the February scouting combine, he measured 5’10” and 207 pounds, with an arm span of 28 5/8″ and a handspan of 9 5/8″.. Those numbers. along with how teams weigh quarterback prototypes. fed concerns about whether he could reliably translate his college success to the league.
One evaluation emphasized that Pavia’s physical traits may not align with NFL requirements. projecting him more likely as an “undersized backup” option.. But there was an important counterweight embedded in that same view: the idea that he carries a “gamer” mentality—someone who competes hard. processes pressure. and plays with an edge coaches can build around.. That’s a mindset teams often bet on when the depth chart gets thin or when preseason reps become audition tapes for the next roster spot.
Misryoum will be watching how Pavia responds in the hours and days after the draft. because the undrafted route can be both a test and an opportunity.. The next step for quarterbacks like him is usually earning a UDFA deal with a team that wants to add depth to the 90-man roster this offseason.. In that environment. the timeline can move fast: training camp reps. practice performance. and preseason usage often determine whether a player stays in the building.
There’s also a family layer that makes Sanders’ message feel more than ceremonial.. Sanders recently experienced a similar draft-day sting when his son, Shilo Sanders, went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft.. Shilo later signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. but he was cut before the 2025 season and didn’t immediately land another contract after trying out with the San Francisco 49ers.. For Deion Sanders. knowing how quickly opportunity can appear—and disappear—adds weight to the push for Pavia to “never allow them to forget.”
That context matters because Pavia is entering a competitive quarterback ecosystem where patience is required, but so is urgency.. Even if teams passed on him on draft weekend. the league still needs quarterbacks for offseason work. injury contingencies. and developmental reps.. Undrafted signings can become meaningful when a player wins the small battles: clean ball security. timing progression. third-down decision-making. and command of play-action concepts.
Pavia may not have heard his name called in round choices. but the draft itself is only one gate in a much longer corridor.. Other undrafted quarterbacks have already been finding their way onto rosters following the draft’s conclusion. including Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar and Kansas’ Jalon Daniels.. For Pavia. the question now shifts from “Why wasn’t he picked?” to “Which team believes enough to bet on his next chapter?” If he lands the right opportunity. his response to this setback—practice-to-practice. rep-to-rep—will likely become his strongest argument for the NFL level.