Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia Plans to Showcase Arm at NFL Combine Despite Height Questions

Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia announced he'll participate in throwing drills at the NFL combine this weekend. The Vanderbilt quarterback faces questions about his NFL prospects due to his sub-5'10" frame, but remains confident in his abilities.

INDIANAPOLIS — Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who finished second in Heisman Trophy balloting, announced Friday his intention to participate in passing drills at the NFL scouting combine.

Signal-callers are set to complete their workout routines on Saturday. Meanwhile, Heisman champion Fernando Mendoza from Indiana, projected as the top overall draft selection, plans to delay his throwing session until Indiana’s pro day scheduled for April 1.

Pavia revealed he’ll skip other on-field exercises and reserve those activities for Vanderbilt’s pro day on March 18.

Draft analysts project him as a later-round selection primarily due to physical measurements. Pavia stands just under 5-foot-10, while Mendoza towers at 6-5.

However, the Vanderbilt star doesn’t lack self-assurance, though that trait has occasionally created issues. He previously criticized Heisman Trophy voters through social media before issuing an apology.

During Friday’s media session, Pavia stated he didn’t “care what people think about me,” while highlighting his intellectual approach to football.

“I think my mind is just underrated, just the way I process,” Pavia said. “I feel like I’m a fast processor.

“I’m humble, and I get my confidence from my process. And if you saw what, how much I put into this, you would see where I get my confidence from.”

Whether described as confidence or boldness, Pavia led Vanderbilt — traditionally among the Southeastern Conference’s weakest programs — to a No. 9 ranking in The Associated Press poll during last season.

He now aims to translate that success to professional football, and Pavia appeared to joke about his reputation both on and off the field.

“(Vanderbilt) Coach (Clark) Lea always stressed that your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until you’re 25, and I just turned 24,” Pavia said. “So I’ve got like 360 days to go.”