Diego Pavia went from Heisman Trophy runner-up to waiver wire in seven months. The Baltimore Ravens waived the Vanderbilt quarterback on July 23, 2026, one day before rookies reported to training camp. He had spent 83 days with the team after signing as an undrafted free agent.
Now Pavia waits for another NFL call. If it does not come, the United Football League fits his profile. Here is why the spring league makes sense for 2027.
Getting Cut Is Normal
A roster cut does not end a football career. NFL teams carry 90 players into training camp and trim to 53 by the season. Undrafted free agents face the longest odds. Most do not make an initial roster.
Pavia signed with the Ravens behind two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and former Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley. He competed for a third quarterback spot that many teams do not keep. The math worked against him before camp started.
With Pavia gone, the Ravens carry four quarterbacks into 2026 training camp:
Lamar Jackson — starter and two-time NFL MVP
Tyler Huntley — backup with prior starts in Baltimore's system
Skylar Thompson — QB3 option with NFL regular-season experience
Joe Fagnano — depth arm competing for a practice squad spot
Pavia and Thompson competed for the third job. The Ravens kept Thompson and released Pavia.
Pavia also went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft despite finishing second in Heisman voting. He was the first Heisman finalist since Jordan Lynch in 2014 to go undrafted. Scouts pointed to his height. Pavia stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 207 pounds.
Who Diego Pavia Is
Pavia was born February 16, 2002, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He played four college seasons across three programs. He started at New Mexico Military Institute, moved to New Mexico State, then transferred to Vanderbilt in 2024.
At New Mexico Military Institute in 2021, he led the Broncos to the NJCAA National Championship. He threw 21 touchdowns and one interception that season.
At New Mexico State in 2023, he threw for 2,973 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for 923 yards. He led a 31-10 road upset over Auburn.
At Vanderbilt, Pavia started 26 games over two seasons. His 2025 numbers stand out.
Diego Pavia 2025 Stats
Pavia posted career highs in his final college season:
Passing: 267 of 378 for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Rushing: 862 yards, 10 touchdowns
Record: Vanderbilt's first 10-win season
He set the Vanderbilt single-game passing record with 484 yards against Kentucky on November 22, 2025. He threw five touchdowns in that game. The prior school record was 461 yards, set in 1981.
Pavia became the first player in SEC history to record four straight games with more than 400 yards of total offense. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and earned First-team All-American and SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Why the UFL Fits
The UFL is a spring league with eight teams: Birmingham Stallions, Columbus Aviators, Dallas Renegades, DC Defenders, Houston Gamblers, Louisville Kings, Orlando Storm, and St. Louis Battlehawks. The league plays from March into June, so a 2027 UFL season would not conflict with an NFL fall schedule.
The league also feeds the NFL. The UFL sent 56 alumni into 2026 NFL training camps. A strong UFL season gives a player game film and a path back to an NFL roster.
Pavia's playing style matches quarterbacks who produce in the UFL. The league starts several dual-threat passers:
Matt Corral, Birmingham Stallions, runs and throws on the move
Jason Bean, Louisville Kings, ran for more than 1,300 yards in college
Jordan Ta'amu, DC Defenders, won the 2025 UFL Championship MVP
Nolan Henderson, Houston Gamblers, escapes pressure and runs RPO looks
Pavia ran for 800 yards in 2024 and 862 yards in 2025. He ran for 165 yards against Tennessee on November 29, 2025. That mobility fits the UFL, where quarterbacks who run extend drives and score.
Height did not stop Ta'amu or Bean in the UFL, and it would not stop Pavia. The league grades production over measurables. Pavia produced at every level, from junior college to the SEC.
The 2027 Timeline
Pavia's options remain open after the Ravens cut. He can sign to another NFL practice squad, wait for a fall injury opening, or join the CFL. If none of those produce a roster spot, the UFL offers spring 2027 reps against pro competition.
A UFL season would keep Pavia on the field and on film. Quarterbacks who post numbers in the spring earn NFL looks in the summer. For a passer who has answered doubts at each stop, the UFL is a logical next step rather than an end point.