Commanders Eyeing Tall QB Prospect for Potential Backup Role

Washington to host Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis for pre-draft visit

Mar. 15, 2026 at 11:10am

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The Washington Commanders are exploring their quarterback options for the future, using one of their 30 official pre-draft visits on Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis. Kaliakmanis, a 6'4" 205-pound passer, increased his passing yardage in each of his four college seasons, totaling 8,604 yards and 55 touchdowns. The Commanders currently have Jayden Daniels as their starting QB, with Marcus Mariota as the backup, but may be looking to add depth at the position.

Why it matters

The quarterback position is the most important in the NFL, and the Commanders appear to be taking a proactive approach to ensuring they have a strong long-term depth chart behind their current starter Jayden Daniels. Kaliakmanis' size and production at the college level make him an intriguing prospect worth evaluating as a potential future backup.

The details

Kaliakmanis began his college career at Minnesota before transferring to Rutgers for his final two seasons. He steadily improved each year, culminating in a 2025 campaign where he completed 62.2% of his passes for 3,124 yards, 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The Commanders are using one of their 30 official pre-draft visits to get an up-close look at the 6'4", 205-pound quarterback.

  • Kaliakmanis played at Minnesota from 2021-2022 before transferring to Rutgers for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
  • In 2025, Kaliakmanis had his best college season, throwing for 3,124 yards, 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

The players

Athan Kaliakmanis

A 6'4", 205-pound quarterback who played his final two college seasons at Rutgers after starting his career at Minnesota. He increased his passing yardage in each of his four college seasons, totaling 8,604 yards and 55 touchdowns.

Jayden Daniels

The current starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders.

Marcus Mariota

The current backup quarterback for the Washington Commanders.

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What’s next

The Commanders will host Kaliakmanis for an official pre-draft visit to further evaluate him as a potential addition to their quarterback room.

The takeaway

The Commanders are being proactive in exploring their options at quarterback, using a valuable pre-draft visit on the tall and productive Athan Kaliakmanis. This suggests they are looking to add depth and competition behind current starter Jayden Daniels, ensuring they have a strong long-term plan at the most important position in football.