Washington Commanders third string quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis was introduced to the world as we watched our first edition of Sunday morning football in 2026. Filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota assumed the starting role but left late in the first quarter with an injury of his own.
Kaliakmanis entered the game and from his very first play, I liked what I saw.
Not a flashy play by any means, but a play action bootleg to get the rookie on the move and in rhythm. The play was well contained by Colts defender Jaylahn Tuimoloau, which forced Kaliakmanis to cut his bootleg short and fire the out route from afar – which he did with impressive zip for a 3 yard gain. Falling away in the middle of the hashes to complete an out route at the numbers isn’t a throw every NFL QB can make.
When building my 2026 NFL draft board, I evaluated and graded 8 quarterbacks, sadly, Athan Kaliakmanis wasn’t among them. NFL.com‘s Lance Zierlein had this to say about his arm talent:
“He throws with adequate deep-ball touch but needs to become more consistent with his placement and timing over the first two levels.“
Well, Mr. Zierlein had it right and the deep ball was on display in London.
The 7th round rookie narrowly failed to connect with his 3rd round draft mate, Antonio Williams, but he would come back to the deep ball with more success later.
Another beautiful throw, but this one connected with Treylon Burks for a 47 yard touchdown. The throw was spectacular, but Kaliakmanis had already shown off the arm talent. On this rep, I was most impressed with his willingness to step into the pocket to cut the throw loose.
Granted, it’s very well blocked and a clean pocket, but he displayed good pocket awareness and movement all game long, a rarity in todays NFL.
Arm talent, pocket awareness and command of the offense, which he showed all game long, are all great tools for any QB, especially a 7th round rookie QB3. In college, he was responsible for calling out his own protections, a responsibility that followed him to the NFL.
The NFL is different though and defenses are far more complex. Kaliakmanis struggled.
Justin Walley wasn’t the only free rusher to take an open shot on the debut QB. Kaliakmanis failed to identify blitzes throughout the game, proving he still needs a lot of work at identifying NFL defenses. His ability to escape bailed him out at times, but he was under a lot of self inflicted duress throughout the game.
Albeit in a loss, the talent shone through. In Lance Zierlein’s assessment, he stated “He has enough size, experience and football intelligence to eventually make a roster as a QB3.“
He’s already proven the QB3 status as a rookie, but I believe there is plenty of room for development. A toolsy QB who didn’t crumble when called upon is a great place to start. In week 5, Kaliakmanis will likely serve as the QB2 for a returning Jayden Daniels while Marcus Mariota nurses a sprained MCL. Daniels has a history of injuries so it may not be the last we see of the Commanders QB3.
One last look at the intriguing prospect I overlooked. Although it’s not caught, the pass had perfect placement as it was layered between two defenders. Like before, “AK” stepped into a clean pocket with conviction to deliver the strike. This is an “NFL level throw” that not every NFL QB can make.
I will certainly keep a close eye on him going forward, and I’ll make a mental note not to overlook late-round QBs as I evaluate the 2027 draft class. That work has already begun. My preseason Top 10 QB Prospects dropped in June and an updated list will be coming soon.
You can find my other position rankings and all of my written content HERE or by following me on X at JLSports24.
