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Diego Pavia’s Heisman Rise Coincides With Bid To Turn JUCO Case Into NCAA Class Action

The proposed filing targets the NCAA practice of counting junior-college seasons toward the four-year clock under antitrust law.

Overview

  • Attorney Ryan Downton said Pavia’s team is preparing an amended complaint to convert his JUCO eligibility suit into a proposed class action, adding players including Tre Richardson, Andrew Burnette, James Djonkam and Iman Oates.
  • Following Pavia’s late-2024 injunction, the NCAA issued a one-year waiver for affected JUCO players, and Downton says more than 35 similar eligibility lawsuits have since been filed with mixed results.
  • A federal court order last year found Pavia’s two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute did not preclude another NCAA season, enabling him to play for Vanderbilt while litigation continues.
  • On the field, Vanderbilt beat No. 15 Missouri 17–10 to reach 7–1 and stay in the top 10, and ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky now ranks Pavia No. 1 in his Heisman top five after a season line of 1,698 passing yards, 15 TDs and five INTs plus 458 rushing yards and five TDs.
  • Pavia’s breakout continues to draw NFL scrutiny, with multiple analysts projecting him as a Day 3 draft pick due to age and size despite strong production and leadership at Vanderbilt.