There were many scratching their heads when Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was selected 223rd overall by the Washington Commanders on Saturday afternoon.
Kaliakmanis was selected before presumed SEC locks Garrett Nussmeier and Diego Pavia. While there might be off-the-field issues at play with both, the same cannot be said for Kaliakmanis. He visited the Commanders early in the draft process and clearly made an impact.
Despite the Commanders having franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels in place,
the selection of Kaliakmanis could make sense for both parties.
Let’s look at the fact. Kaliakmanis played in 48 games during his career. He brings experience to a quarterback room that is looking for a young backup. He was also selected in the seventh round, which means it’s a low risk move for Washington.
Washington brought back Marcus Mariota to serve as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. Daniels missed time with multiple injuries last season and Mariota was inserted into action. Mariota eventually had to miss time as well and this led to Josh Johnson taking snaps. Now, the Commanders will have a young option on the depth chart to step in if need be.
Kaliakmanis turned in his best season in 2025 with 3,124 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He totaled 5,820 yards with 38 touchdowns to 14 interceptions in two years with Rutgers.
For Kaliakmanis, this is a chance to develop in a good situation offensively with little pressure. He fits better as a backup than options like Pavia and Nussmeier. He will be able to show off what he can do during the preseason and work to get better as time goes on. Maybe one day a team notices and wants to acquire Kaliakmanis from the Commanders. Bottom line is, being drafted is never a bad thing and Kaliakmanis was clearly not going to enter the league as a starter. He is a developmental piece and landed in a good spot.
