Who is Athan Kaliakmanis? Why Commanders took this QB over Garrett Nussmeier, Diego Pavia
This is a fasincating move.
Who is Athan Kaliakmanis? Why Commanders took this QB over Garrett Nussmeier, Diego Pavia originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Washington Commanders welcomed Athan Kaliakmanis on an official '30' visit in the pre-draft process. And with the 223rd pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they took the QB out of Rutgers. On paper, he's an intriguing long-term backup.
Fascinatingly, they took him with the likes of Garrett Nussmeier and Diego Pavia still on the board. But clearly this wasn't random. The Commanders dove deep into him before the draft, and they take Kaliakmanis now.
2026 NFL DRAFT HQ: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available Who is Athan Kaliakmanis? He's the new young QB on the Washington depth chart. Kaliakmanis began his college career with a pair of seasons at Minnesota before ending it with two campaigns at Rutgers.