Commanders Complete Draft Signings
Friday saw the Commanders sign first-round linebacker Sonny Styles to his rookie contract. Washington has since worked out an agreement with the rest of its 2026 class.
All six Commanders draftees are now on the books, as noted by ESPN’s John Keim. Friday marks the beginning of Washington’s rookie minicamp, so it comes as no surprise each of these deals have been sorted out in time. Styles is one of only two players Washington added prior to Day 3 of last month’s draft.
The other is wideout Antonio Williams, who came off the board at pick No. 71. The Clemson product will look to carve out a depth role on offense right away with the Commanders looking to replace Deebo Samuel‘s 2025 production. Samuel is unsigned at this point, and a return to the nation’s capital is not expected.
Washington remains heavily linked to a Brandon Aiyuk acquisition. The team is not looking to swing a trade with the 49ers to bring him into the fold, though, so a lengthy wait for a potential release could be in store. In the meantime, Williams will aim to establish himself during spring work leading into training camp. A strong showing in that regard could result in a depth role even if Aiyuk winds up in Washington to pair with Terry McLaurin.
Joshua Josephs will join a pass rush room which has undergone plenty of changes this spring. He, too could occupy a rotational role right away before taking on a larger workload. Washington’s other Day 3 picks will aim to provide young depth to a team which has fielded one of the league’s oldest rosters in recent years. Contributions from new arrivals would be key in helping the Commanders return to the playoffs in 2026.
Here is a final look at Washington’s draft class:
- Round 1, No. 7: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 71: Antonio Williams (WR, Clemson) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 147: Joshua Josephs (EDGE, Tennessee) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 187: Kaytron Allen (RB, Penn State) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 209 (from 49ers): Matt Gulbin (C, Michigan State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 223: Athan Kaliakmanis (QB, Rutgers) (signed)
Commanders Add Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis In Seventh Round
While LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier remains on the board in a stunning slide, the Commanders have added a new arm to their quarterbacks room in Athan Kaliakmanis. The Rutgers product becomes the eighth passer off the board and the first of the seventh round at No. 223 overall.
Kaliakmanis’ journey started at Minnesota where he spent three years as a Golden Gopher. After redshirting as a true freshman, Kaliakmanis earned his first starting opportunity when usual starter Tanner Morgan was held out with a concussion. Morgan got injured again two weeks later, and Kaliakmanis took over down the stretch, starting five games and going 3-2 as a starter, including a win in the team’s bowl game. He won the starting job for Minnesota in 2023 but, after a 5-7 campaign, transferred to the Rutgers a year later.
Kaliakmanis continued to develop with the Scarlet Knights, improving each year as a passer. After sporting completion percentages of 53.1 and 53.9 in his first two years of full-time starting duties in Piscataway, Kaliakmanis finished 2025 at a mark of 62.2 percent. He also ended his collegiate career with highs of 3,124 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns in his final season, throwing seven interceptions in each of his final two years of play. Kaliakmanis also demonstrated decent mobility at Rutgers. In 2024, he rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
Kaliakmanis heads to a crowded quarterbacks room in Washington. Jayden Daniels is the clear starter, while Marcus Mariota and Sam Hartman serve as two generations of backups. Kaliakmanis’ production in college may not excite, but the 22-year-old has the physical tools to compete and showed a lot of improvement in his last season of play. He should be granted an opportunity to compete with Hartman for a shot at QB3.