Jan. 29, 2026, 8:52 p.m. ET

Height isn’t something Diego Pavia thinks should hold a lot of weight ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

The Vanderbilt quarterback has drawn a lot of attention after he was listed as 6’0 at Vanderbilt before his official Senior Bowl measurements revealed he was 5’9 7/8, over two inches shorter than what he was advertised as. 

But, it’s certainly worth noting that Pavia still made it to the point he did in his career and achieved all the same accolades at that height. He says that a quarterback can be anything he wants to be in the modern era, and that height is not an important factor to consider. 

“You see people from 6’5 all the way to 5’10, 5’9 and stuff,” Pavia told me. “As long as you’re a  winner, a competitor, you’ll be in the NFL. I’ve always been this tall, so nothing changes here (with the measurements out). Our O-line in the SEC last year was between 6’5 and 6’7.” 

Pavia believes who he is as a pure football player from a tangibles and an intangibles perspective is what matters the most. 

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“I have the heart of a lion and I feel like I’m a great teammate,” he said. “I have fast feet, I’m mobile in the pocket and can make plays. I can can improvise… I feel like I bring quite literally everything to the table but height.” 

The former Commodores signal-caller says he feels he should be noticed for the type of leader he is and the way he performs as a “win at all costs type of guy.”

“I lead by example. I won’t ask the guys to do anything I can’t do myself or that I haven’t already done myself,” he said. “I’m the type of guy who is a connector, bringing the whole team to my house and things like that.” 

Between the systems he played in at New Mexico State and Vanderbilt, Pavia, who has said multiple times that he believes he is the best player in college football, feels he is fully prepared to be an NFL quarterbacks. 

Some of the extra tricks and twists within the Vanderbilt offense are things he believes will give him an extra edge in the league. 

“We’re pro-style offense at Vanderbilt. Maybe we ran just a little more option there than they do in the NFL,” Pavia said.

Some of the NFL’s most prominent quarterbacks perform exceptionally well with running option  a bit more heavily than some others do. 

“In the NFL, you see option a lot with Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and guys like that,” Pavia  said. “A little with Baker Mayfield sometimes. I think it’s good to have in my arsenal. At the same time, when you go look at my tape, you can see I’m a good passer, I can do it all.” 

It will be interesting to see where Pavia lands in April — and where — with scattered  projections in mocks throughout Senior Bowl week.