Diego Pavia eviscerates Big Ten, confirms $4M-plus NIL offer from SEC program

After receiving another year of eligibility through a judge’s order, Diego Pavia made it clear he planned to continue playing at Vanderbilt. But he had offers from other programs – including one in the SEC, he told Bussin’ with the Boys.

Pavia confirmed to Will Compton and Taylor Lewan he had an NIL offer of more than $4 million from an SEC team. He also said he received interest from across the country and although teams were reaching out, they didn’t contact him as much as his family.

“It was less reaching out to me – it was more reaching out to, like, my brothers and my family and stuff,” Pavia said.

Pavia then took aim at the Big Ten, knowing Compton and Lewan’s roots as former standouts at Nebraska and Michigan, respectively. He joked he wanted to play with “the best” and not the Big Ten.

“You want to play with the best – you don’t want to play with the Big Ten. … You ignore those calls,” Pavia said. “You know that.”

Additionally, Pavia called the SEC a gauntlet with no weeks off, given the league’s strength. He argued the Big Ten has Ohio State and Oregon – as well as Michigan and Penn State – but the SEC has few weaknesses in its schedule.

“But you’ve got to think about this, too,” Pavia said. “The SEC is, like, nothing. Like, okay, the Big Ten, you have Ohio State, Oregon … the SEC, it’s like week after week. You’re going to get beat on. The Big Ten, you’re not gonna get beat on with the Purdue, Nebraskas.”

Specifically, Pavia pointed to the difference in the trenches, particularly on defense. He called the SEC the best conference in the country at producing pass-rushers, although he acknowledged Abdul Carter and others came out of the Big Ten.

“The best pass rushers are from the SEC, except, like, Abdul Carter,” Pavia said. “You’ll find one. You’ll have one or two. … If the kid from South Carolina [Dylan Stewart] could’ve left, he would’ve been a first-round pick.”

Pavia was one of the breakout stars in 2024 at Vanderbilt, throwing for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding 716 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. His most notable performance came against Alabama in that October win as he threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns to engineer one of the biggest upsets of the season.

Because he started his college career at the JUCO level at New Mexico Military Institute, Pavia and his lawyers argued he should be granted one more year of eligibility. Pavia played two years at the JUCO ranks before two at New Mexico State and last year at Vanderbilt.

Diego Pavia will begin his second season at Vanderbilt in Week 1 when the Commodores take on Charleston Southern. Kickoff will be Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. ET.