Diego Pavia says he will throw at the NFL combine despite size questions
Quarterback diego pavia, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, told reporters he will throw passes at the NFL scouting combine — a decision that puts his arm work on display even as concerns about his height follow him into draft week.
Diego Pavia to throw at the combine
Pavia confirmed he will participate in throwing drills at the combine in Indianapolis; quarterbacks are scheduled to go through drills on Saturday. He said he will not take part in additional on-field drills at the combine and will instead wait for Vanderbilt’s pro day on March 18 to run more team-specific work.
The decision puts Pavia directly alongside the top prospects in one measurable setting. He measured at just less than 5-foot-10, a size often cited as a drawback for pro evaluators; by contrast, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza is listed at 6-5 and plans to wait until his pro day on April 1 to throw passes.
Manziel mentorship and the 40-yard dash bet
Pavia said he has leaned on Johnny Manziel for advice during the draft process. "He’s giving me some good advice, for sure, " Pavia said, adding that Manziel checks in and has been around his family. Manziel has urged Pavia to learn from his mistakes and warned about off-field risks: "Learn from my mistakes, brother. Learn from Johnny. Don’t be Johnny off the field. "
The two have even turned training into a wager: Manziel challenged Pavia to beat his 40-yard dash time of 4. 68 seconds from the 2014 combine, with a $1, 000 bet tied to the result.
Size questions, stats and pro day plan
Pavia emphasized a cerebral approach to the game amid continued questions about maturity and temperament. He acknowledged past missteps — he lashed out at Heisman voters on social media last year and later apologized — but defended his preparation and processing. "I think my mind is just underrated, just the way I process, " he said. "I'm humble, and I get my confidence from my process. " He also repeated a coach’s admonition about development: that a frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until 25 and noted he recently turned 24.
On the field, Pavia produced strong counting numbers in his final season: he threw for 3, 539 yards with 29 touchdowns and 8 interceptions and added 862 rushing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns. Those totals helped lift Vanderbilt into national attention and left him a close second in Heisman voting to Mendoza.
With the combine throwing session imminent and Vanderbilt’s pro day set for March 18, Pavia has two clear chances to show scouts how his processing, arm and athleticism translate to the next level. Quarterbacks will run drills at the combine on Saturday, and Pavia plans to follow his throwing work there with team-specific reps at Vanderbilt’s pro day on March 18.
