Athan Kaliakmanis May Steal A Quarterback Job With His NFL Draft Rise

Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis took a big step forward this past season. The former Minnesota transfer completed a career high 62.2 percent of his passing attempts and threw for 20 touchdowns. Kaliakmanis has received significant NFL Draft interest as a result.

Kaliakmanis recently spoke exclusively with NFL Draft On SI. Kaliakmanis discussed the big-time improvement he showed at Rutgers, his latest pre-draft team meetings, balancing aggression with taking checkdowns, and more.

NFL Draft Interview: Athan Kaliakmanis Will Earn NFL Quarterback Job

JM: You took such a big step forward at Rutgers after transferring to the program from Minnesota. What do you think led to your improvement?

Athan Kaliakmanis: That’s a great question. There’s a lot that went into it. I think it’s a testament to my work ethic first and foremost. I approached every single day with the mindset to get better.

That was the only thing I was focusing on. That’s pretty much what I’ve done throughout my college career. You can see that throughout my career, from the start. I also give a ton of credit to my coaches and teammates.

A lot of people have helped me along the way. Going from Minnesota to Rutgers, I just got incrementally better every single year.

JM: You completed 62.2% of your passing attempts this past season. That was about 10 points higher than your previous career high. Meanwhile, your yards per attempt was a personal-best 8.5 YPA, so it's not like you were dinking and dunking. What made you a more accurate quarterback this season?

Athan Kaliakmanis: I threw the football more than I thought I could possibly throw it. I threw the ball every single day during game week. I threw the ball every single day until the season was over. Every single day. I never skipped a day.

If I didn’t throw the ball, I wouldn’t have felt like I did everything I possibly could to be ready for that game. Even on Thursdays, our walkthrough day before a Saturday game, I found a way to throw the ball.

I was throwing the ball every single day. When I got to game day, I knew I did everything I could to be at my best. I didn’t leave anything on the table. Now, it's go-time. I was totally confident.

Athan Kaliakmanis - Rutgers — Nov 22, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

JM: That preparation led to better results. How do you balance being aggressive with taking what the defense gives you?

Athan Kaliakmanis: I love picking defenses apart. I love doing that. That’s why I play quarterback. I love competing. I love finding your weaknesses and picking a defense apart.

If you give me the opportunity, I’m always aware of the situation. I know what I’m looking at defensively. I know what I’m looking for. I’m looking for that chance to take a shot. I want to be an aggressive quarterback.

I’m also smart enough to know if we have a defensive shell we don’t like. If we get a post-snap look I wasn’t expecting, it’s okay to take the checkdown. But when they give me an opportunity to take a shot, I’m taking a shot. I’ll be ready for the look I want and I’m going to hit it.

JM: Spoken like a truly balanced quarterback. What were your responsibilities at the line of scrimmage like this past season?

Athan Kaliakmanis: I was fully in charge of pass protection. That was the case on all three downs. I was responsible for pass pro. I had full progression reads. We had game plans where depending on certain run calls, I could check out of it.

I wasn’t fully in charge of run ID’s and stuff like that. Our center handled that. I was in complete charge of pass protection though. Even though I wasn’t in charge of run protections, I fully understood them.

I got to the point where I understood why our center was doing what he was doing with our run game.

JM: I believe you recently had a Top 30 visit with the Cincinnati Bengals. Any other visits or recent Zoom meetings on your calendar?

Athan Kaliakmanis: I have pre-draft visits with the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders. I’m participating in local days with the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and New York Jets. I recently met with the Las Vegas Raiders on Zoom, and Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Logan Kilgore [on Zoom].

JM: There’s lots of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. We've appreciated your time today. Why should a team use one of their draft picks on Athan Kaliakmanis?

Athan Kaliakmanis: A team should draft Athan Kaliakmanis because you can’t deny my growth as a quarterback. You can’t deny the tape. I’ve gotten better every single year. I’m going to get better every single day.

I’m also a great guy to have in the locker room. I love being around my teammates. I want to spend as much time with them as I possibly can. I love my teammates. I’d do anything for them. I work as hard as I possibly can to help the team win.

Whatever it takes, I’m going to help the team win.