Athan Kaliakmanis is declared for the 2026 NFL Draft and has been busy in recent weeks.
The Rutgers quarterback has met with at least three teams during this process. According to multiple reports, Kaliakmanis took “30 visits” to the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders. He also had a formal visit with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kaliakmanis ended his collegiate career with his best season. He threw for 3,124 yards and 20 touchdowns while completing 62.2% of his passes — all career highs. Kaliakmanis threw just
seven interceptions and added four touchdowns on the ground. He ended his career with 8,604 passing yards.
Kaliakmanis began his career at Minnesota before transferring to Rutgers for the final two years. At 22 years old, Kaliakmanis has been pegged as a potential backup in the NFL and this has put him on draft radars in late rounds.
The Raiders hold the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. It seems as though they have keyed in on Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, but that does not mean the team is not looking for a long-term backup. Las Vegas holds picks in each round this year with multiple in rounds four and six.
The Bengals could also be in the market for a long-term backup. Joe Burrow has struggled with injuries during his career. Jake Browning is no longer with the team and this led to Josh Johnson coming in as a veteran option behind Burrow. Kaliakmanis could be in play as a younger option behind Johnson, and for the future.
The Commanders are another team that might be in the market for a young backup to Jayden Daniels. Washington is not rich with draft picks so they could monitor Kaliakmanis as a free agent if he is not drafted. If they feel he is worthy of a day-three pick, Kaliakmanis could be an intriguing option to take over as backup once Marcus Mariota is done.
The intrigue around Kaliakmanis is there given his experience at the collegiate level. It will be interesting to see if any other teams get in on the former Scarlet Knight and if he is drafted at any point in April.
