Ravens face increasing competition for enigmatic QB as minicamp tryout looms

Following the conclusion of the draft, the Baltimore Ravens sent shock waves through the NFL world by inviting Vanderbilt Diego Pavia to their rookie mini-camp this upcoming weekend. It was a bit surprising that Pavia went undrafted, as he was a Heisman finalist. In fact, he was the first undrafted Heisman finalist since 2014.

Nevertheless, concerns about Pavia's size (5-foot-10) and maturity make him a highly polarizing player in the minds of decision makers and observers alike. Adam Schefter noted that other teams (especially those with rookie camps coming up) want to bring Pavia in if the Ravens don't sign him.

Schefter's reporting makes it seem like Pavia was a coveted undrafted free agent. As such, the Ravens will have to act swiftly if they want to make him part of their 90-man training camp roster.

Of course, losing out on Pavia wouldn't be the end of the world, and frankly, it might be a blessing in disguise. Nonetheless, if the Ravens think Pavia has the potential to be a solid backup QB and he impresses this weekend, then it would behoove them to sign him to their training camp roster.

Could Diego Pavia blossom into a quality backup quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens?

It's tricky to figure out if Pavia could become a quality backup quarterback at the NFL level. To be clear, the best outcome is that he'd be the third-string QB behind Tyler "Snoop" Huntley.

On one hand, Pavia's college production speaks for itself. In his last year at Vanderbilt, Pavia threw for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns, and completed an absurd 70.6 percent of his passes. He helped transform Vanderbilt from a 2-10 squad before he helped them arrive to a 10-3 team in his final season.

Pavia also displayed impressive competitive toughness and an ability to make big plays both in the air and on the ground when pressured. He also undoubtedly has a spark lit under him every time he takes a snap. In some ways, these factors can make him an adequate backup to Lamar Jackson.

Still, it's fair to believe that his physical limitations won't make this style of play feasible at the next level. This is especially the case as (despite his strong completion rate), his decision-making was also a bit erratic in college.

And how will Pavia adjust to likely being a third-string or practice-squad player at best? Does he have the right mentality to be that kind of player? These are all concerns that the Ravens must consider before making him a part of their 90-man roster.

Regardless, if Baltimore thinks that Pavia has upside as a backup, extending him a training camp invite makes sense, and given the interest he has around the league, they'll have to make their decision sooner rather than later.

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