How Did Diego Pavia Play in Senior Bowl? Stats, Highlights, Reaction Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

After an outstanding 2025 campaign, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia participated in the Senior Bowl on Saturday in one of his final chances to show what he can do ahead of the NFL draft in April.

Pavia had some strong plays through the early going, including his first completion of the game.

There were also some rough moments, including a mishap with running back Seth McGowan that led to a fumble. The American Team recovered and scored on the following drive.

Pavia didn't get a ton of time to show his stuff. He was pulled in the second quarter to give other quarterbacks the chance to play and didn't re-enter until halfway through the third quarter. From there, he played a few more drives and finished with 78 passing yards on 10-of-13. Pavia and the National Team lost 17-9 as former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was named the game's MVP.

Fans didn't get to see much of Pavia on Saturday, and reviews were mixed.

The good news for Pavia is that scouts won't evaluate him from the Senior Bowl alone, and his play at Vanderbilt will bode well for him. In his final season with the Commodores, he threw for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground.

Up next, Pavia will have the NFL scouting combine in February and likely a Pro Day at Vanderbilt. He's not one of the premier names in this year's draft right now, but strong performances in the coming months could quickly change that.