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Former Auburn football killer QB signs first NFL contract

Former Vanderbilt Commodores QB Diego Pavia signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday
Former Vanderbilt Commodores QB Diego Pavia signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Diego Pavia's football career will continue after a collegiate run spent terrorizing the Auburn Tigers with a 3-0 record, his first win coming with the New Mexico State Aggies and the next two coming while leading the Vanderbilt Commodores.

On Tuesday, after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft, Pavia found a home. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, "Ravens are signing former Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia to a three-year deal, per source. Pavia was supposed to try out this weekend, but the Ravens signed him in advance."

Pavia was set to visit Baltimore for a mini-camp this coming weekend but seemingly decided they'd seen everything they needed to. His contract likely lacks significant guarantees, to the point where he's likely going to have to fight for his life this coming summer to make the team.

Pavia joins a Ravens QB room that also signed UConn Huskies QB Joe Fagnano on Tuesday. At six-foot-four, Fagnano has more of an NFL build than Pavia. Still, Pavia's leading Vanderbilt to a 10-3 season in 2025, complete with a Heisman nomination, makes him a success story that technically hasn't stopped.

Hugh Freeze laughed at Diego Pavia when QB asked to be recruited to Auburn

Pavia clearly liked what he saw on the Plains leading into the infamous 31-10 New Mexico State road win over Auburn in 2023. The Albuquerque native asked Hugh Freeze to recruit him to AU.

Freeze laughed in his face instead, perhaps providing more fuel than any singular other figure in the sport en route to Pavia making the NFL. These little details cannot be lost in time when remembering the Freeze era.

Not only did he not seek upgrades at QB, but he laughed in the face of a potential upgrade after being destroyed under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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