Athan Kaliakmanis

Athan (AY-thin) Kaliakmanis (KAL-ee-ack-man-is) grew up in Antioch, Ill., with his parents (Alex and Colleen). His father wrestled at Seton Hall. Kaliakmanis has a close relationship with his older brother (Dino), his teammate at Minnesota and Rutgers. Athan Kaliakmanis was named Gatorade Player of the Year while at Antioch Community High and won a state title in the long jump (19 feet 6 inches). A four-star recruit, he committed to Minnesota over other Big Ten programs and became the full-time starter in 2023. He transferred to Rutgers for his final two seasons and reunited with former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca (Rutgers’ O-coordinator). He made clear improvements from his junior to senior seasons. Kaliakmanis let it loose as a senior, showing better base mechanics and a more dialed-in downfield touch (28 completions of 20-plus yards in 2025, one behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza). His accuracy and pocket presence also looked different for much of 2025, although that wasn’t the case against better opponents on the schedule (Oregon, Ohio State). Overall, Kaliakmanis has functional physical tools for the next level, and his decision-making and accuracy took enough of a jump in 2025 that he should have a legitimate chance to make a roster in camp. 23 Back to table of contents -- 27 of 629 --