Diego Pavia constructed a Vanderbilt renaissance last season. Will he continue to build the Commodores into relevance in the SEC?
This summer leading up to the 2025 season, we’ll be exploring the top 10 offensive and defensive players Mizzou football is slated to face this fall. We’re not ranking them 1-10, so while Jalon Daniels is a very good player, he’s not necessarily the best offensive player Corey Batoon will have to game plan for this upcoming season.
This is the fifth of (you guessed it) 10 such posts of the season. If you haven’t yet, take a look at the previous TTOP articles:
- Jalon Daniels and Nikhai Hill-Green
- Nyck Harbor and Deontae Lawson
- John Mateer and Jordan Lawson
- Le’Veon Moss and Will Lee III
Diego Pavia
School: Vanderbilt (by way of New Mexico State)
Position: QB
Class: Super Senior
Height: 6-0
Weight: 200 lbs.
Hometown: Albuquerque, N. Mex.
What he’s done
While college football sickos have known about Diego Pavia hailing back to his days in Las Cruces, N. Mex., he broke onto the national scene in a huge way in 2024. Having already revitalized the Aggies, taking them to consecutive bowl games for the first time in 65 years, Pavia (and coach Clark Lea and “consultant” Jerry Kill) burst the Commodores into relevance in with wins over Alabama and Auburn and a three-point loss to national runner-up Texas.
While Pavia didn’t put up eye-popping offensive stats, he ran the Vanderbilt offense with incredible efficiency, always seeming to make the right play at the right time to keep the ball moving. He finished 2,293 yards passing along with 20 touchdowns to only four interceptions. Pavia was dangerous on the ground as well, rushing for 800 yards and eight more touchdowns and made a name for himself as one of the more entertaining players to watch in the entire country.
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
What he’ll do
Pavia’s impact on college football will continue well beyond the 2025 season. In fact, the entire reason he even has eligibility in this upcoming year is due his legal action against the NCAA for limiting his earning power during his stint as a JUCO bandit. Pavia won a lawsuit against the NCAA, leading to a sweeping rule change allowing all former JUCO athletes an extra year of eligibility, which means we get to enjoy watching Pavia for one more year (as well as enjoy the services of Mizzou linebacker Triston Newson in 2025.)
Pavia is set up to continue Vanderbilt’s rise in relevance in 2025 as the Commodores add one of their best recruiting classes in program history along with a few additions in the transfer portal. While his wide receiver room is one of the weaker in the conference, Pavia does enjoy the return of Eli Stowers, the best tight end in the country (and a future TTOP if you want a spoiler.) I expect Pavia to put up similar total numbers as last year, perhaps a few more yards through the air and a few less on the ground. All in all, if he can continue to protect the ball, Vanderbilt will contend for a second straight bowl berth.
Mizzou Matchup
Mizzou barely squeaked out an overtime victory over Pavia in one of the weirder and more frustrating games of the 2024 season. Pavia’s numbers weren’t stellar in that game, throwing from 178 yards and two touchdowns, but he added 84 rushing yards as well. Per his modus operandi, Pavia made just enough plays on third downs to keep control of the ball and away from Brady Cook and Luther Burden throughout the second half.
This year’s game is in Nashville, making it one of the sneakier tough games on the Tigers’ schedule. Mizzou never seems to play amazingly in Nashville even if they have won three of the last four there. Those frustratingly close games were against much worse Vanderbilt teams than this one and it’ll be vital for Corey Batoon to come in with a plan to control Pavia and get the Commodores off the field early in drives. This will be a game where the Tigers’ linebackers will be leaned on heavily to keep Pavia’s legs from hurting Mizzou while also covering the excellent Stowers on passing routes. Daylan Carnell will also be a key cog in limiting the time of possession for Vanderbilt, as they won’t be explosive, but they will be damn annoying under Pavia.
Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images
Dean Miller
School: kansas
Position: DE
Class: RS Senior
Height: 6-5
Weight: 240 lbs.
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
What he’s done
One of the more underrated defensive players in the country coming into 2025, Dean Miller had a breakout season in 2024 for the Jayhawks. After several years of little playing time in Lawrence, the former JUCO player finally saw significant playing time last year and made the most of it. Miller finished the season with 32 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and three pass deflections. These numbers were good enough lead the beakers in sacks and to earn recognition as a second team All-Big 12 defender.
Miller’s production peaked against Houston, tallying two sacks and set career benchmarks in a 42‑14 victory. Miller’s presence was felt in the trenches, often commanding attention and opening opportunities for teammates. Miller’s 2024 performance marked a turning point in his collegiate career, establishing him as one of the Big 12’s most promising defensive talents heading into his senior year.
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
What he’ll do
With the kansas defensive front undergoing key changes including the departures of several starters to graduation and transfer, Miller will be tasked with taking on an even larger role for the Jayhawks this fall. He’s expected to be the primary edge rusher alongside a featuring D.J. Withers and Tommy Dunn Jr.
If he builds on last year’s six sacks, Miller could emerge as a candidate for first team All‑Big 12 recognition and anchor the Jayhawks’ hopes for a bounce back season after an underwhelming 2024. kansas had some serious defensive issues last season, and after losing several of their better players they’ll need Miller to bump up his production even more if they are going to gain a level of competence they lacked in 2024.
Mizzou Matchup
Miller represents the one real threat of a pass rush for the Mizzou offense to contend with in their early season match up. The Tigers will need to use their first game against Central Arkansas to solidify who their tackles will be because Miller is talented enough and has a high enough motor to make shaky tackles suffer. The rest of the kansas defense isn’t particularly scary so Kirby Moore should be able to game plan around Miller in ways that hopefully mitigate any damage he might cause, but perhaps the most effective way will be to run the ball early, often, and right at him to slow him down.