Diego Pavia compares himself to Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen ahead of NFL Draft

Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia compared himself to Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Pavia was named a Heisman Trophy finalist this season after leading Vandy to a 10-2 record and nearly making the College Football Playoff. 

It was a historic season for the Commodores and Pavia. He played at his best and really showcased his dual threat abilities, similar to a Mayfield and Allen.

Pavia joined The Pivot Podcast for an enthralling conversation. He mentioned the quarterbacks he looks up to and compared himself to.

“Baker Mayfield,” Pavia began. “I would say a little bit like a Jaxson Dart … obviously, he’s young and stuff, but I think just like the swag, I think the way he could rally a team, I think that’s how I see myself, a little bit. And then three, I think I like Josh Allen. Just his mentality of, just put the ball in my hands, let me go do it.”

Pavia was also asked if he sees himself in Caleb Williams, particularly with the way the latter is playing in Year 2. Williams won a Heisman at USC and was the No. 1 overall pick in 2024.

“Oh yeah, just a gamer, straight gamer,” Pavia said. “Dance around the backfield. I’m gonna find something, that’s how I feel.”

Before Pavia tries to take the NFL world by storm like Mayfield, Allen or others, he’ll have a bowl game against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl. But he maintained Vanderbilt’s history was one of the reasons the team was left out of this year’s College Football Playoff.

“I think it’s a lot of politics at the top with what’s going on,” Pavia said. “I think if you look at our strength of schedule at the beginning of the year, the people we beat, when we beat them, on the road. There’s no other 10-2 SEC team left out. That’s the other thing. And then, they have Texas ahead of us, too. I don’t know what’s going on or what they’re thinking up there, but I feel like we deserve to be in the College Football Playoff.”

Although Texas did beat Vanderbilt 34-31 earlier this season in Austin, it suffered three losses to Vandy’s two. One of these losses came to 4-8 Florida on Oct. 4, which was the main catalyst for keeping the Longhorns out of the Playoff. No. 11 BYU and No. 12 Miami are also both ranked ahead of Vanderbilt, as they both secured a victory against a team present in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings.

No. 11 BYU knocked off now-ranked No. 15 Utah 24-21 on Oct. 18, and No. 12 Miami opened its season with a 27-24 win over now-ranked No. 10 Notre Dame, 27-24. Vanderbilt does not own a victory over a team ranked in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings.