The Baltimore Ravens began Week 2 of voluntary organized team activities on Tuesday, and the news of that day was that star quarterback Lamar Jackson was back in the building after missing Week 1 due to a personal matter.

Jackson is seeking a new deal, so to see him back in black is a good sign for Ravens fans. And while everyone will want to know what he looks like on the field, it could be a player behind him that generates some of the most excitement.

Diego Pavia named Ravens most exciting UDFA

“Pavia was a force at Vanderbilt, throwing for over 3,500 yards and an SEC-high 29 touchdowns while rushing for 862 yards and 10 more scores on the way to winning SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors and finishing second in voting for the Heisman trophy.”

“But then the 24-year-old became the first Heisman finalist in a dozen years to go undrafted because of a combination of age, lack of size (5’10”) and some off-field decision-making that raised questions. The Ravens rolled the dice that Pavia can develop into a solid NFL backup, and while speaking to reporters head coach Jesse Minter said that it’s on Pavia now to show what he can do.” – Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report

What Diego Pavia needs to do to make the Ravens’ 53-man roster

For Pavia, it’s about showing more than what he’s capable of on the field. What he did for Vanderbilt in 2024 and 2025 when that team finished 14th in the final CFP rankings speaks for itself.

Yes, he’s on the smaller size and doesn’t have all the elite tangibles, but Pavia’s biggest concerns are going to be related to maturity. The Ravens have to be able to trust that Pavia will be a reliable backup. That means taking things seriously and frankly, being boring.

If he can stay out of trouble and show some of the traits that helped bring the Commodores into college football relevance, there is no reason why he can’t be a part of the 53-man roster come September.