Diego Pavia reaffirms confidence he will be picked in NFL Draft: 'I'm the best player in the country'

Diego Pavia proved himself as one of the best players in college football. Pavia earned a seat in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, ultimately finishing runner-up. Still, he got to reflect on his time at Vanderbilt and highlight some of the major accomplishments.

Now, focus has switched to hearing his name called at the 2026 NFL Draft. As we have seen in the past, Pavia is incredibly confident when it comes to getting picked. He told ESPN’s Pete Thamel as such in Mobile, AL, for the Senior Bowl, calling himself “the best player in the country.”

“When has the last SEC player of the year not been drafted?” Pavia asked. “You know what I mean? I feel like you go watch, the tape number speaks for [itself]. Everything speaks for themselves. I feel like I’m the best player in the country, and I still believe that. That’s just the ultimate confidence that I’ve had.”

To answer Pavia’s original question, the answer is never. The SEC introduced the Offensive Player of the Year award back in 2002, originally won by Kentucky running back Artose Pinner. All 21 recipients have been drafted, with some conference legends on the list.

Last season’s winner was Dylan Sampson, who was a fourth-round selection of the Cleveland Browns. One year prior was Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. The Washington Commanders took him with the No. 2 overall pick, going to the NFC Championship during Daniels’ rookie season.

Pavia believes he can be just the latest SEC Offensive Player of the Year to make an impact in the NFL. At the very least, confidence is never going to shy away from him.

More on Diego Pavia, final season in Nashville at Vanderbilt

There is a reason why Pavia won SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He put up ridiculous numbers for Vanderbilt, guiding them to one of the best seasons in program history. As a team, the Commodores finished with 10 wins for the first time ever.

Pavia threw for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while completing over 70% of his throws. His feet were a major part of the offense as well, adding 862 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. A 5.2 yards per carry number is solid, especially when you consider college stats include sacks.

Exactly how Pavia’s skillset will translate to the next level is unknown. He is hoping the Senior Bowl provides an opportunity to make NFL scouts, general managers, and executives beleive in him.