The Washington Commanders final pick in the 2026 NFL Draft materialized into former Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis
If there is one major question for the Washington Commanders to answer at quarterback ahead of the 2026 regular season, it's the health of Jayden Daniels after playing in just four complete games and seven total appearances in 2025. But if there is a second question, it's whether the Commanders opt to roster a third quarterback and if so, who will it be?
Washington addressed the backup role early in free agency after bringing back Marcus Mariota for a third season, yet the other quarterback that the Commanders kept getting linked to was Rutgers starter Athan Kaliakmanis, who made the trip to Ashburn for a top-30 visit. That marked the next opportunity for Washington to get an up-close at the two-year starter, who threw for over 5,800 yards and 38 touchdowns to 14 interceptions during his two seasons as a Scarlet Knight.
That consistent interest allowed Washington to keep close tabs on the day three prospect, who materialized into the final pick during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Assistant general manager Lance Newmark admitted the Commanders "liked a lot about him" as Kaliakmanis now arrives in Washington with a chance to compete for the QB3 role against Sam Hartman, who has yet to take a snap in a game after serving on the practice squad over the last two seasons.
"I think you're also looking at, every year, to see if somebody makes sense and if you see developmental qualities and how that might create competition and make the rest of the people in the room even better," Newmark said after the draft.
Kaliakmanis got a chance to "talk to everybody, I shook hands with everybody" during his top-30 visit while sitting down with the offensive staff, cementing his belief that he "wanted to be a Commander."
"What I loved was how everybody's connected, everyone's together," Kaliakmanis said. "And I felt that when I went into that building."
Kaliakmanis now arrives with a chance to prove himself as an agile quarterback with a strong arm, a trait he was able to put on film after having two of the most underrated receivers in the country to throw to in KJ Duff and Ian Strong. Hartman, meanwhile, will look to hold off the seventh round pick despite being passed over for Josh Johnson at the end of the 2025 season, yet Kaliakmanis also arrives as a system fit with a chance to impress enough for a chance to grow into a backup role in 2027.
For now, the incoming rookie quarterback is looking to learn from the veteran experience ahead of him.
"Being in my position, I think being able to become the best player that I could possibly can and just get incrementally better every single day. That's what I'm going to show up and I'm going to do."