Deion Sanders sends message to Diego Pavia after Heisman finalist goes undrafted in 2026 NFL Draft

Or rather, someone who's son has been there.

It's a pretty strong vote of confidence - and one Pavia probably needed after the last few days.

That's not something you see often. The last Heisman finalist to go undrafted was Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014. And you're looking at only a handful over the last three decades.

To be fair, there were concerns.

Still, the production was there. The accolades were there. And usually, that's enough to at least hear your name on Day 3.

Sanders, of course, understands how unpredictable the draft process can be.

So when Pavia found himself in a similar - albeit more extreme - situation, Coach Prime stepped in to improve morale.

Now, the path forward is uncertain for Pavia. Whether that means catching on as an undrafted free agent, earning a camp invite or taking a less conventional route to the league, he's got work to do.

But at the very least, he's got one very high-profile believer in his corner.