Vanderbilt Commodores Star Ranks Highly in Latest Transfer QB Rankings
The Vanderbilt Commodores have been one of the most surprising teams in the nation this year, and there is really no denying that.
Before the season began, no one had the Commodores on the brink of bowl eligibility, much less beating the (then) number-one-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.
They also took the Missouri Tigers and the Texas Longhorns to the brink, with the Tigers needing overtime to get the job done and the Longhorns not sealing the deal until the final minute of the game.
The success this year has been thanks in part to Clark Lea's spectacular work in the transfer portal this year, bringing in who could go down in history as the best player to ever don the football field for Vandy, superstar quarterback Diego Pavia.
Pavia is but one of the many quarterbacks that transferred ahead of the 2024 campaign, and in a recent article for Bleacher Report, Brad Shepard ranked those players, placing Pavia in third behind only Oregon Ducks star Dillon Gabriel and Miami Hurricanes star Cam Ward, fantastic company to keep when discussing quarterbacks.
Pavia has had an instant and obvious impact on the Commodores' outlook for the future, which could have a ripple effect for the future.
"Diego Pavia's picture should be next to the word "impact" in the college football dictionary," writes Shepard, "Pavia has teamed with Lea to make Vanderbilt relevant, which is one of the biggest statements and toughest things to do in all of college football."
That relevancy could prove tantamount to Vanderbilt and Lea continuing to improve on the recruiting trail and the transfer portal, which could see the program continue to be relevant for years to come.
Pavia enters this week with 1,534 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to only three interceptions on 118 of 183 passing, a 64.5 completion percentage.
He has also added 537 yards on the ground with four more touchdowns on 134 attempts, showing the dual-threat ability that he has.
This week, the quarterback looks to make another statement in the contest against the Auburn Tigers on the road, a game that Vandy is yet again considered an underdog for.
We have seen time and time again this year what the Commodores, and Diego Pavia, are capable of when considered an underdog.
It should come as no surprise if Vanderbilt and Diego Pavia put on another outstanding performance on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
