If Ex-Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia considers Ben DiNucci’s advice, he might have a home in a CFL team. The highly-touted collegiate prospect went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is the first Heisman finalist since 2014 who went undrafted after Jordan Lynch, breaking a twelve-year streak.

It is highly unlikely for him to be signed as a free agent, as the general trend suggests that the UDFA usually gets a call within hours. 

But, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports, the Canadian football team Winnipeg Blue Bombers have called their claim on the negotiating list on UDFA Diego Pavia if he aspires to play in the CFL.

The seven-time cut quarterback and an analyst for CBS, Ben DiNucci, advised Pavia to pursue the CFL if he is serious about pursuing football as his career.

“If I was Diego Pavia and still want to play football, I would call the @CFL and @TheUFL immediately,” wrote DiNucci on X post. “No better way to shut people up and show them you’re serious about playing. Just have to go play somewhere at this point. I could see him having a similar career to Doug Flutie up north.”

For the past few days, the Bombers' general manager, Kyle Walters, has been his hope for pursuing his football aspirations. In fact, the Bombers reserved the CFL rights on Pavia as they added him to their negotiation list in 2024.

Pavia started his collegiate career in 2022 with the New Mexico State Aggies. He later transferred to the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2024.

He has won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for best upperclassman quarterback during his collegiate career.

Although it remains unclear where Pavia will land in 2026, the CFL seems like a legitimate option.

Paths Forward Emerge for Diego Pavia After 2026 NFL Draft Snub

Even though the draft didn’t go his way, Diego Pavia didn’t stay out of the conversation for long. According to the Bleacher Report, the next step for former Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia is already taking shape.

The Baltimore Ravens have invited UDFA Pavia for next weekend’s minicamp on a tryout basis. And, it seems that he has accepted the invitation for the minicamp.  

During his last collegiate season, Pavia played in 13 games, throwing for 3,539 yards and scoring his career-high 29 touchdowns. Moreover, he sits at a PFF grade of 92.3 and is ranked 4th among 302 qualified quarterbacks.

The Baltimore Ravens have a track record of closely evaluating talent in camp settings, especially at quarterback. 

That means every rep, every throw, and every decision carries weight. There’s no long runway here.

Read more at Quarter Back Central!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit