Diego Pavia is throwing at the NFL Combine, but the stopwatch drama will have to wait. The Vanderbilt quarterback confirmed he will not run the 40 yard dash or agility drills in Indianapolis. Instead, he plans to run at his Pro Day on March 18. That decision is making news because he already has $2,000 riding on those numbers in a public bet with Johnny Manziel.
Diego Pavia NFL Combine Plans
Pavia has committed to participate in the quarterback throwing session at the NFL Combine. That includes the full scripted workout of drops, timing routes, deep outs, and vertical throws in front of league decision makers. For a quarterback projected outside the first round, those reps are critical.
What he will not do in Indianapolis is test. No 40 yard dash. No 5-10-5 shuttle. That shifts the spotlight away from pure speed in the short term and keeps the focus on arm talent and rhythm passing.
Johnny Manziel Diego Pavia Bet Details
40 Yard Dash Bet: Johnny vs. Diego
Johnny ran a 4.68 at the 2014 Combine, do you think Diego can beat him? pic.twitter.com/AMtjjrJULy
— Glory Daze Podcast (@glorydazepod) February 23, 2026
The bet itself is simple and very public. Johnny Manziel ran a 4.68 in the 40 yard dash during his pre-draft process. He wagered $1,000 that Pavia will not beat that time. Pavia responded by adding another $1,000 bet on the 5-10-5 shuttle. Manziel agreed. One thousand dollars per drill. Two drills. Two thousand dollars total.
There is no gray area in this wager. It is tied directly to measurable testing numbers. If Pavia runs faster than 4.68 and posts a better shuttle time than Manziel expects, he wins. If he falls short, Manziel collects.
Diego Pavia Pro Day: March 18
Pavia has made it clear that his speed testing will happen at his Pro Day on March 18. That is where the bet will actually be decided. Pro Days often provide a more controlled setting, with familiar receivers and a comfort level that can help quarterbacks perform at their best.
The timing adds intrigue. Scouts will have Combine throwing grades in hand before they ever see his 40 time. That creates a two phase evaluation. First comes the arm. Then comes the stopwatch.
Diego Pavia 40 Time Projection
On film, Pavia shows functional mobility. He escapes pressure, resets his base, and picks up yards when lanes open. He does not profile as a pure track athlete, but he accelerates well enough to threaten the edge.
A projection in the high 4.6 range feels realistic, which puts him right around Manziel’s 4.68 mark. The 5-10-5 shuttle may be the swing drill. Pavia’s short area quickness and ability to change direction could allow him to post a competitive agility time, especially in a Pro Day environment.
Diego Pavia NFL Draft Projection 2026
Most early boards place Pavia in the Day 2 to early Day 3 range. He brings production, toughness, and experience operating a modern offense. The concern remains size and whether his physical traits cap his ceiling.
The Combine throwing session gives him a chance to answer arm related questions immediately. The Pro Day on March 18 will answer the athletic ones. Because of the Manziel bet, those numbers will not just be logged quietly. They will be compared, debated, and replayed across draft coverage.
In a quarterback class built on projection, Pavia has managed to turn his testing into a storyline. He will throw in Indianapolis. He will run on March 18. And when he does, $2,000 and a very public benchmark of 4.68 seconds will be waiting at the finish line.
