Every Senior Bowl has a few names that sneak into the national conversation by sheer force of performance. This year, two of the loudest belonged to a gritty SEC quarterback and an FCS corner who refused to blend into the crowd.
Diego Pavia came to Mobile carrying a breakout season at Vanderbilt and a point to prove. He’d already shown in the SEC that his production wasn’t a system mirage, and the week with the National team reinforced that reputation. As we have recapped, in practice, Pavia looked comfortable running the operation, stacking completions in rhythm and managing the huddle with the calm you want from a rookie backup. His feet and eyes stayed tied together in the quick game, and he showed enough juice to drive out-breaking routes to the sideline without straining.
The game offered a small but meaningful sample. Pavia went 10‑for‑13 for 78 yards in a 17–9 loss, operating on schedule even while the National offense struggled to finish drives. There was a turnover on a scramble and a batted ball that will keep the conversation about size and windows alive, but the broader takeaway was simple: he looked like he belonged. He handled pressure, protected the football overall, and never looked rattled by the moment. On draft boards, he now fits cleanly into the Round 5–6 lane, the type of competitor you select with a clear developmental plan as a QB2/3. If his toughness and mobility translate into early value on the scout team, in specialty packages, or in the meeting room, he has the makeup to outplay that slot.
Charles Demmings took a much different road to the same stage. The Stephen F. Austin corner arrived as the lone defensive FCS representative in this Senior Bowl class, a distinction that underscored how thoroughly his tape had already been vetted. At SFA, he helped the Lumberjacks to conference titles and stacked elite coverage grades, with ball production that included multiple interceptions and pass breakups in league play. Mobile was his chance to prove that level of play wasn’t a mirage of competition.
All week, Demmings checked boxes. In one‑on‑one drills, he showed patient feet, staying square at the line, and transitioning smoothly when receivers tried to threaten vertically. In seven‑on‑seven and team, he looked comfortable in both man and zone, communicating rotations and using leverage to squeeze throwing windows. Game snaps reinforced the story: he competed at the catch point, tackled cleanly in space, and never looked out of place against Power Five wideouts. That’s exactly how a small‑school defensive back goes from “interesting” to “priority” in front offices.
As the dust settles on the week, Demmings has clearly pushed himself into the middle‑round mix. He now projects in the Round 4–6 corridor as a prototype‑sized outside corner with ball skills, conference production, and verified competitiveness against top competition. Early on, he offers special‑teams value and depth, with a realistic path to winning starting snaps by Year 2 or Year 3 in a scheme that blends press, off, and split‑safety looks.
Together, Pavia and Demmings gave the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl two of its most compelling national arcs. One is a gamer at quarterback fighting to become the next “how did he last that long?” story in the draft; the other is an FCS standout turning a one‑week audition into a launchpad. They didn’t just crash the Senior Bowl party – they made it harder for any team to leave them off the board when their pick is on the clock.
4 Star Sports Media is proud to partner with the Chris Hope Foundation for all written coverage of the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.
This collaboration supports CHF’s ongoing mission to provide hope and assistance to families facing serious illness, while spotlighting the nation’s top college football talent in Mobile, Alabama. Together, we’re uniting purpose and passion—celebrating excellence both on and off the field throughout Senior Bowl week.
