Join the huddle. Sign up here for Ravens updates in your inbox.

The Ravens have waived undrafted rookie quarterback Diego Pavia, parting ways with the Heisman Trophy runner-up days before the start of training camp.

Pavia’s release Thursday creates space on the Ravens’ 90-man roster for newly signed center Ethan Pocic and leaves them with four quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson and undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano.

Pavia led the Southeastern Conference last season in passing accuracy (70.6%), passing touchdowns (29) and yards per attempt (9.4), and he powered the Commodores to the first 10-win season in program history. He finished behind only Indiana quarterback and eventual No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in Heisman voting.

Advertise with us

But size, age and maturity concerns kept the 24-year-old Pavia from getting drafted. At the NFL scouting combine, he measured in at 5 foot 9 and 7/8 inches; no quarterback under 5-10 has been drafted in the NFL’s modern era.

The Ravens initially invited Pavia to attend rookie minicamp as a tryout player before signing him in late April to a rookie contract without guaranteed money. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea worked in 2021 with Ravens coach Jesse Minter, who called Pavia “a really, really hard worker.”

He added: “I think he really helped elevate that program in the SEC by playing against really good competition. And so now he’s in the door, and it’s like, ‘Show us what you can do, let the chips fall where they may,’ and just like all the undrafted rookies, that’s what I would say.”

The Ravens are expected to keep only two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and another on their practice squad. The first full-team practice of training camp will be held Wednesday.