The Baltimore Ravens are encouraging Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia to make the most of his moment in the NFL as his preseason schedule begins.
Pavia, who starred at the college football level, was not selected in the 2026 NFL Draft by any of the 32 teams.
He eventually signed a professional contract with the Ravens after the draft ended, later coming to terms with the team on a three-year deal.
While Pavia is currently projected as the fourth quarterback on the roster, new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter encouraged the former Vanderbilt star to show him what he’s made of.
‘So now he’s in the door and it’s like, “Show us what you can do,”‘ Minter said Saturday. ‘And just like all the undrafted rookies, that’s what I would say.’
Minter added, ‘For us, we see it as an opportunity to bring a player in that could potentially be something, and that’s really what this is for us.’
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter is encouraging backup QB Diego Pavia to show his stuff
Pavia, the Heisman Trophy runner-up from 2025, was not drafted by an NFL team this season
He eventually signed a three-year contract with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent
Minter’s comments were made after Pavia went viral after a video of him at a practice hit the internet.
On Saturday, Pavia was seen going through the motions of his first ever minicamp as footage of him working on elementary snaps and handoffs was posted to social media.
But the video has gone viral due to Pavia’s slight frame and short stature compared to the center who was snapping him the ball.
In the comments under the video, fans roasted Pavia, who stands at 5-foot-10 for the noticeable height difference compared to his teammate.
‘Looks like a solid chunky middle school prospect,’ wrote one user on X.
Another said, ‘He’s so short! If he plays, they will have to have him on the move cause no way can he see above the OL!!!’
‘He’s taking under center snaps at chest level. This is incredible,’ another fan joked.
The former Vanderbilt signal caller, who stands at 5-foot-10, was seen in Ravens training video
Pavia (R) is competing with fellow undrafted free agent Joe Fagnano (L) for the No. 3 QB role
A similar comment read, ‘He’s out of the shotgun cuz he has to go on his tippy toes to take the snap under center.’
Despite the vicious roasting by trolls on social media, Pavia is still in open competition for the No. 3 quarterback job with the Ravens.
He’s battling with former UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano – another undrafted free agent who signed a deal with Baltimore.
