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Maxx Crosby on Diego Pavia going undrafted: ‘It’s a wake up call’

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra04/29/26SamraSource

Maxx Crosby didn’t sugarcoat it. Reacting to Diego Pavia going undrafted despite a Heisman runner-up finish, the Las Vegas Raiders star called it what he believes it is, a reality check.

“It’s a wake up call, you know what I mean?” Crosby said on his podcast. “He’s a smaller guy, he’s undersized. … Obviously he’s had his fair share of stuff off the field.

“That hasn’t helped his cause. From the Heisman thing to quarterback being out at the bars and doing all of the stuff like that, NFL teams hate that stuff.”

For many, Pavia’s draft slide was one of the biggest surprises of the weekend. After all, the former Vanderbilt quarterback was coming off a historic season, throwing for over 3,000 yards, accounting for 36 total touchdowns and leading the program to its first 10-win campaign. 

He became the first Vanderbilt quarterback to ever be named a Heisman finalist, and still didn’t hear his name called. Crosby believes the reasons are clear.

“When you have maturity issues, in the view of the NFL, and then you have the size disadvantage as well, I think it just makes a lot of sense why he didn’t get drafted,” he said.

That combination of measurables and perception proved too much to overcome. Still, Crosby made it clear this isn’t the end of the road.

“Me personally, I do think he’s a dog. I think he can play the game at a high level,” he said. “He was a Heisman finalist for a reason.”

Now, Pavia has his opportunity. After initially being invited to rookie minicamp, he’s since signed a three-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, giving him a real shot to carve out a role at the next level. 

He’ll join a quarterback room headlined by Lamar Jackson, competing for a depth spot as he begins his NFL journey. That’s where the “wake up call” comes into focus.

“I really do root for him,” Crosby added. “I wish him the best. I want to see him have success, but I think it’s just a reality check of what this league is.”

For Pavia, the message is simple. The résumé got him in the door. What comes next will determine how long he stays, and whether Crosby is trying to sack him when the Raiders play the Ravens in the future.