Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia finds guidance from Johnny Manziel, who knows firsthand how quickly it can all unravel.
When Johnny Manziel stunned Alabama in 2012, he was just 19 and already college football’s brightest star. That win turned him into a legend overnight. But fame and poor decisions cut his career short. At just 23, he had played his final NFL snap. Now 32, Manziel admits he let distractions destroy his promise. His story is why Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is listening closely.
Manziel told On3’s Chris Low that he’s mentoring Pavia, offering advice he never took himself. “Learn from my mistakes, brother,” Manziel said. “Don’t be Johnny off the field.”
Manziel’s experience is speaking louder than his hype. Pavia isn’t a Heisman contender like Manziel once was, but he’s unbeaten at Vanderbilt and entering the biggest stretch of his career.
Vanderbilt is 5-0 for the first time since 2008. With College GameDay in Tuscaloosa this weekend, Pavia will play in the program’s biggest spotlight in 16 years.
Manziel’s mistakes carry weight. Pavia doesn’t need NFL stardom yet, he needs focus, consistency, and someone reminding him what’s at stake.
Manziel couldn’t save his career, but he might help shape Pavia’s. Vanderbilt’s quarterback will need every ounce of clarity as he leads the Commodores into Alabama.
This is more than mentorship, it’s a second chance, handed from one quarterback to another.
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