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vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia Ahead of the upcoming NFL draft, he sought advice from a controversial football figure.
The polarizing quarterback reveals he’s in contact with former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel — who has faced controversy himself — sought advice and guidance as the draft approached.
“He told me what to look for, how to feel, how to hold on,” Pavia told reporters at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, Feb. 28. “And, you know, he definitely gave me some good advice.”
He continued, “He’s also always reaching out, checking on me, making sure I’m doing okay, and he’s just, like, he’s just my friend, you know? So he gives me some guidance. He’s always there for me, he’s always there for my family. For people who really don’t know him, he’s a great guy.”
Vanderbilt standout quarterback Diego Pavia is having an impressive college football season that has earned him a spot as a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist. He finished the regular season with 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Pavia also rushed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground to lead the Commodores (…)
Pavia finished second in this year’s Heisman Trophy voting behind the Indiana quarterback and national champion Fernando Mendoza — had impressive results in his final year at Vanderbilt. Pavia led the Commodores to a 10-2 season with 3,192 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He added 826 yards and nine touchdowns.
Similar to Manziel’s story, Pavia’s career has been marked by controversy, which boiled over during the Heisman Trophy ceremony when Pavia posted disparaging messages on social media about Heisman voters and the Indiana football team. He later apologized for the posts.
Pavia said Friday that NFL teams did not ask him about the eye-opening social media posts.
“No, they didn’t,” Pavia told reporters. “I just think, not that they don’t care or anything, but they’re aware of the situation.”
Diego Pavia speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Draft Combine
Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesHe continued, “I don’t care what people think of me. God has a plan for me no matter what. But that’s the way media is, they’re supposed to put out clickbait and stuff like that. That’s how people get views, that’s how people make money. I understand that. So people are going to twist stories and try to push out bad media to get clicks and good media to get clicks. That’s the world we live in today. So I’m just adapting to the new world.”
Manziel has his own series of troubles Throughout his college career and brief NFL career.
His time at Texas A&M was marred by controversy over the 2014 NFL Draft, which saw him fall all the way to the 22nd overall pick by the Cleveland Browns after he was expected to be a top-five pick.
He played only 14 games in the NFL, all with the Browns, before being cut by the team after two seasons due to personal issues, including substance abuse.
Manziel addressed the topic in a 2023 Netflix documentary about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse, Unknown: Johnny Football.
“I think I feel the emptiest inside when I get everything I want,” he said. “I think I was trying to suppress my feelings and get over the feeling of being Johnny Football. (I) bought a gun that I knew I was going to use. My plan was to do whatever I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I could, and then my plan was to take my own life.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
