Diego Pavia says Johnny Manziel is giving him advice as he preps for NFL
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The NFL Draft Combine is currently underway in Indianapolis, and all of the nation’s top draft-eligible college players are in attendance to show off their skills in front of NFL scouts and executives from all 32 organizations.
Quarterback is the one position group that receives the lion’s share of the coverage every time this event rolls around, and former Vanderbilt gunslinger and 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia is perhaps the most intriguing prospect from the entire group this draft cycle.
Pavia sat down with media members on Saturday to field questions about what the draft process has been like for him thus far, and he said that former Texas A&M quarterback and 2014 first-round draft pick Johnny Manzi has been guiding him through the entire process.
“He’s giving me what to look out for, what it’s like, how to stay in the process,” Pavia said. “He’s given me some good advice, for sure. And he always reaches out, too, checks up on me, makes sure I’m good, and he just, like, he’s just a friend to me, you know? And so he’s giving me some mentorship. He’s been around me, he’s been around my family. He’s just a great person for those that really don’t know him.”
Manziel and Pavia formed a strong bond during the 2025 college football season, with the former serving as a mentor to the up-and-coming Pavia throughout his historic campaign with the Commodores.
With Pavia now turning his sights towards making it to the NFL, it looks like Manziel is remaining firmly in his corner as he continues to mentor the player many believe is a direct comparison to himself when he was coming out of Texas A&M over a decade ago.
