A Minnesota starter turned Rutgers leader, Athan Kaliakmanis brings pro-style experience and a low turnover rate to Washington's quarterback room as a seventh-round pick.
Athan Kaliakmanis rebuilt his career by transferring from Minnesota to Rutgers, where he beat out an incumbent starter and threw for nearly 3,000 yards in his final season. Washington took him in the seventh round of the 2026 draft as a developmental arm with good size and football intelligence.
Path to the league
A Greek American quarterback from Antioch, Illinois who was named Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, Kaliakmanis started his college career at Minnesota, where he was a two-year starter. He transferred to Rutgers in January 2024, reuniting with his brother Dino, a wide receiver who made the same move, and won the starting job over incumbent Gavin Wimsatt.
Career highlights
At Minnesota, Kaliakmanis started 17 games over two seasons, including a 2023 season in which he threw for 1,838 yards and 14 touchdowns. At Rutgers in 2024, he started 13 games and passed for 2,696 yards with 18 touchdowns. Washington selected him in the seventh round (No. 223 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft, with evaluators projecting him as a developmental backup thanks to his accuracy and low turnover rate.
2025 season recap
In his second and final season at Rutgers, Kaliakmanis passed for 3,124 total yards, 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while completing 62.2 percent of his throws, closing out his college career as the clear leader of the Scarlet Knights' offense before heading to the NFL as a rookie.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Athan Kaliakmanis
- 247Sports: Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis selected by Washington Commanders
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Quarterback
- Group
- offense
- College
- Rutgers
- Hometown
- Antioch, IL, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
