Sports

Diego Pavia is already being challenged by the Ravens' coaching staff

Diego Pavia is facing an uphill battle.

The undrafted quarterback is a longshot to make the Baltimore Ravens. Pavia agreed to a standard three-year undrafted free agent contract with the Ravens, after not getting picked in the seven-round NFL Draft last month.

Pavia, who starred collegiately at Vanderbilt, has his work cut out for him moving forward. He’s a serious longshot to make a Ravens roster that already has Lamar Jackson at quarterback.

Pavia is already being challenged by the Ravens’ coaching staff, too.

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter called out the former Vanderbilt quarterback following an early practice this week.

Pavia gets challenged by Baltimore’s staff

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter says that Pavia needs to prove himself.

“So now he’s in the door and it’s like, ‘Show us what you can do,’” Minter told reporters on Saturday, via ESPN. “And just like all the undrafted rookies, that’s what I would say.”

So far, so good in Baltimore, though.

“(Pavia has) had some experiences that are learning experiences that he could learn from and be better from. I don’t think anybody would dispute that,” Minter said. “But when you talk to the people inside that building (at Vanderbilt) and what he’s about as a player, he is showing up early every day and working really hard.”

Pavia has proven himself while being doubted before. He was not a top recruit and he was not highly sought after. However, he ended up being a Heisman Trophy finalist at Vanderbilt.

Perhaps he’ll be able to prove everyone wrong again.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 11:10 AM.

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