Photo by: Matt Krohn
2026 NFL Rookie Knights
Apr 27 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – In addition to QB Athan Kaliakmanis being drafted by the Washington Commanders, four more from Rutgers football signed contracts in recent days. That makes it 118 Scarlet Knights to join the NFL after playing for head coach Greg Schiano. In addition, four others are headed to rookie minicamps for a chance to compete for a roster spot.
RU has had at least one NFL Draft pick each of the past five years, matching a program record also done from 1981-85. In 2025, 21 Scarlet Knights who played for Schiano at Rutgers entered training camp active on NFL rosters.
NFL Draft
QB Athan Kaliakmanis: Washington Commanders (Seventh Round, Pick 223)
NFL Free Agent Signings
TE Kenny Fletcher Jr.: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DB Cam Miller: Carolina Panthers
DL Eric O'Neill: Detroit Lions
WR DT Sheffield: New York Jets
NFL Rookie Minicamp Invite
LB Dariel Djabome: Washington Commanders
OL Bryan Felter: Las Vegas Raiders & Minnesota Vikings
TE Colin Weber: Tennessee Titans
OL Gus Zilinskas: Baltimore Ravens & Indianapolis Colts
ATHAN KALIAKMANIS
Career: Played in 48 games with 42 starts at quarterback ... completed 658-of-1,168 passes (56.3 percent) for 8,604 yards and 55 touchdowns ... rushed for 459 yards and 10 touchdowns ... compiled 9,063 yards of total offense ... accounted for 65 touchdowns ... saw action in two bowl games ... started all 25 games for Rutgers from 2024-25 ... leaves ranked seventh in program history in career passing yards (5,820), passing completions (442), passing attempts (763), passing touchdowns (38) and total offense (6,045) ... one of 13 players to reach 3,000 passing yards and one of six to reach 5,000 passing yards for Rutgers ... became the first Scarlet Knight to compile 2,500 passing yards in back-to-back seasons since 2007-08 ... one of three quarterbacks in program history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season, one of three with multiple seasons of at least 200 completions and one of three to reach 20 passing touchdowns in a season ... leaves holding two of the top seven passing seasons by yards in the RU record book ... had 20 career games with at least 200 passing yards (17 times for RU) ... reached 300 passing yards seven times in total and ranks fourth in Rutgers history with six 300-yard passing games ... owned 16 career games with multiple touchdown passes (11 for RU) and eight games with three touchdown passes (six for RU) with a high of four done twice ... one of seven players in Rutgers history with at least 400 career completions ... a two-time team captain ... played in 23 games with 17 starts for Minnesota the previous two seasons (2022-23) ... completed 216-of-405 passes for 2,784 yards and 17 touchdowns ... added 234 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.
KENNY FLETCHER JR.
Career: Played in 41 games with 16 starts at tight end ... played 23 games at defensive end to start career ... moved to tight end during 2023 bowl season ... totaled 46 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns ... had 13 games with multiple catches ... a member of the Mackey Award watch list ... previously contributed 10 tackles with four for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble ... an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
CAM MILLER
Career: Played in 52 games with 17 starts at cornerback ... ended collegiate career playing in 49 consecutive games ... totaled 103 tackles with 10.5 for loss, five sacks, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree ... led Rutgers with seven passes defended (six breakups, one interception) in 2025 ... added 47 tackles with 2.5 for loss plus a touchdown on special teams ... played in 40 games for Penn State the previous three seasons (2022-24).
ERIC O'NEILL
Career: Played in 50 games with 47 starts on the defensive line … ended collegiate career starting 47 consecutive games ... totaled 222 career tackles with 72.5 for loss and 31 sacks ... added nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two interceptions (one pick-six) … led the FBS with 1.12 tackles-for-loss per game and fourth with 0.62 sacks per game over the past two seasons ... named first team all-conference three times … led Rutgers with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks in 2025 ... played at James Madison in 2024 … earned All-America and First Team All-Sun Belt honors … ranked fifth nationally in sacks per game (1.0) and sixth in tackles-for-loss per game (1.4) … started career at LIU (2021-23) … earned multiple All-America honors at the FCS level … a finalist for both the Buck Buchanan and Jerry Rice Awards … a two-time First Team All-NEC performer … picked up NEC Defensive Player of the Year and NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year … totaled 44.5 tackles-for-loss and 15.5 sacks for the Sharks ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
DT SHEFFIELD
Career: Played in 26 games at the FBS level with 21 starts at wide receiver ... had multiple catches in 25-of-26 FBS games played with a high of 11 ... combined for 234 receptions for 3,247 yards and 50 receiving touchdowns during career at the FBS and junior college levels over 53 games ... totaled 115 receptions for 1,422 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns at the FBS level ... posted four games with at least 100 receiving yards ... added 327 returns yards on special teams (200 punt return, 127 kickoff return) ... contributed 44 receptions for 577 yards and five receiving touchdowns for Rutgers in 2025 ... named to the watch lists for the Biletnikoff Award and Hornung Award ... an honorable mention All-America pick and First Team All-American Athletic Conference as a wide receiver in 2024 at North Texas after collecting 66 receptions for 822 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns ... also named Third Team All-American Athletic Conference as a return specialist ... spent 2023 at Washington State ... started at Northwest Mississippi CC (2020-22) ... left as the program's all-time leader in career receptions and receiving touchdowns, while also finishing second all-time in receiving yards ... scored two touchdowns on punt returns ... a two-time NJCAA All-America and First Team All-MACCC selection ... part of three playoff teams for the Rangers, including the 2020 National Community College Football Championship squad ... an honor roll student.
DARIEL DJABOME
Career: Played in 47 games with 25 starts at linebacker ... ended collegiate career playing in 34 consecutive games ... totaled 192 tackles with 13 for loss and 5.5 sacks ... had seven games with 10 or more stops ... added four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup ... earned All-Big Ten recognition each of the past two years, including being named to the third team in 2024 ... a finalist for the 2024 Cornish Trophy, which honors the top Canadian in college football ... named All-ECAC ... a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership ... saw action in two bowl games ... served as a team captain ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
BRYAN FELTER
Career: Played in 56 games ... ended career ranked tied for eighth in program history in games played ... started 32 games on the offensive line (27 at left guard, five at right guard) ... saw action in two bowl games ... an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2023 ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a five-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
COLIN WEBER
Career: Played in 46 games with 11 starts at tight end ... ended collegiate career playing in 40 consecutive games ... totaled 73 receptions for 675 yards ... had multiple catches in 24 games ... contributed 102 receiving yards for Rutgers in 2025 ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... saw action 34 games the previous four seasons (2021-24) for Charlotte with eight starts ... compiled 56 receptions for 573 yards with multiple catches in 18 games for the 49ers ... added a pair of two-point conversions ... had one 100-yard receiving game ... named First Team All-American Athletic Conference by Pro Football Focus in 2023.
GUS ZILINSKAS
Career: Played in 48 games with 41 starts at center ... ended collegiate career starting 38 consecutive games over the past three seasons ... a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection ... named All-ECAC ... a member of the Rimington Award watch list ... winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award ... served as a team captain ... saw action in three bowl games ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
RU has had at least one NFL Draft pick each of the past five years, matching a program record also done from 1981-85. In 2025, 21 Scarlet Knights who played for Schiano at Rutgers entered training camp active on NFL rosters.
NFL Draft
QB Athan Kaliakmanis: Washington Commanders (Seventh Round, Pick 223)
NFL Free Agent Signings
TE Kenny Fletcher Jr.: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DB Cam Miller: Carolina Panthers
DL Eric O'Neill: Detroit Lions
WR DT Sheffield: New York Jets
NFL Rookie Minicamp Invite
LB Dariel Djabome: Washington Commanders
OL Bryan Felter: Las Vegas Raiders & Minnesota Vikings
TE Colin Weber: Tennessee Titans
OL Gus Zilinskas: Baltimore Ravens & Indianapolis Colts
ATHAN KALIAKMANIS
Career: Played in 48 games with 42 starts at quarterback ... completed 658-of-1,168 passes (56.3 percent) for 8,604 yards and 55 touchdowns ... rushed for 459 yards and 10 touchdowns ... compiled 9,063 yards of total offense ... accounted for 65 touchdowns ... saw action in two bowl games ... started all 25 games for Rutgers from 2024-25 ... leaves ranked seventh in program history in career passing yards (5,820), passing completions (442), passing attempts (763), passing touchdowns (38) and total offense (6,045) ... one of 13 players to reach 3,000 passing yards and one of six to reach 5,000 passing yards for Rutgers ... became the first Scarlet Knight to compile 2,500 passing yards in back-to-back seasons since 2007-08 ... one of three quarterbacks in program history to throw for 3,000 yards in a season, one of three with multiple seasons of at least 200 completions and one of three to reach 20 passing touchdowns in a season ... leaves holding two of the top seven passing seasons by yards in the RU record book ... had 20 career games with at least 200 passing yards (17 times for RU) ... reached 300 passing yards seven times in total and ranks fourth in Rutgers history with six 300-yard passing games ... owned 16 career games with multiple touchdown passes (11 for RU) and eight games with three touchdown passes (six for RU) with a high of four done twice ... one of seven players in Rutgers history with at least 400 career completions ... a two-time team captain ... played in 23 games with 17 starts for Minnesota the previous two seasons (2022-23) ... completed 216-of-405 passes for 2,784 yards and 17 touchdowns ... added 234 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.
KENNY FLETCHER JR.
Career: Played in 41 games with 16 starts at tight end ... played 23 games at defensive end to start career ... moved to tight end during 2023 bowl season ... totaled 46 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns ... had 13 games with multiple catches ... a member of the Mackey Award watch list ... previously contributed 10 tackles with four for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble ... an Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
CAM MILLER
Career: Played in 52 games with 17 starts at cornerback ... ended collegiate career playing in 49 consecutive games ... totaled 103 tackles with 10.5 for loss, five sacks, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree ... led Rutgers with seven passes defended (six breakups, one interception) in 2025 ... added 47 tackles with 2.5 for loss plus a touchdown on special teams ... played in 40 games for Penn State the previous three seasons (2022-24).
ERIC O'NEILL
Career: Played in 50 games with 47 starts on the defensive line … ended collegiate career starting 47 consecutive games ... totaled 222 career tackles with 72.5 for loss and 31 sacks ... added nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two interceptions (one pick-six) … led the FBS with 1.12 tackles-for-loss per game and fourth with 0.62 sacks per game over the past two seasons ... named first team all-conference three times … led Rutgers with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks in 2025 ... played at James Madison in 2024 … earned All-America and First Team All-Sun Belt honors … ranked fifth nationally in sacks per game (1.0) and sixth in tackles-for-loss per game (1.4) … started career at LIU (2021-23) … earned multiple All-America honors at the FCS level … a finalist for both the Buck Buchanan and Jerry Rice Awards … a two-time First Team All-NEC performer … picked up NEC Defensive Player of the Year and NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year … totaled 44.5 tackles-for-loss and 15.5 sacks for the Sharks ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
DT SHEFFIELD
Career: Played in 26 games at the FBS level with 21 starts at wide receiver ... had multiple catches in 25-of-26 FBS games played with a high of 11 ... combined for 234 receptions for 3,247 yards and 50 receiving touchdowns during career at the FBS and junior college levels over 53 games ... totaled 115 receptions for 1,422 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns at the FBS level ... posted four games with at least 100 receiving yards ... added 327 returns yards on special teams (200 punt return, 127 kickoff return) ... contributed 44 receptions for 577 yards and five receiving touchdowns for Rutgers in 2025 ... named to the watch lists for the Biletnikoff Award and Hornung Award ... an honorable mention All-America pick and First Team All-American Athletic Conference as a wide receiver in 2024 at North Texas after collecting 66 receptions for 822 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns ... also named Third Team All-American Athletic Conference as a return specialist ... spent 2023 at Washington State ... started at Northwest Mississippi CC (2020-22) ... left as the program's all-time leader in career receptions and receiving touchdowns, while also finishing second all-time in receiving yards ... scored two touchdowns on punt returns ... a two-time NJCAA All-America and First Team All-MACCC selection ... part of three playoff teams for the Rangers, including the 2020 National Community College Football Championship squad ... an honor roll student.
DARIEL DJABOME
Career: Played in 47 games with 25 starts at linebacker ... ended collegiate career playing in 34 consecutive games ... totaled 192 tackles with 13 for loss and 5.5 sacks ... had seven games with 10 or more stops ... added four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup ... earned All-Big Ten recognition each of the past two years, including being named to the third team in 2024 ... a finalist for the 2024 Cornish Trophy, which honors the top Canadian in college football ... named All-ECAC ... a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership ... saw action in two bowl games ... served as a team captain ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
BRYAN FELTER
Career: Played in 56 games ... ended career ranked tied for eighth in program history in games played ... started 32 games on the offensive line (27 at left guard, five at right guard) ... saw action in two bowl games ... an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2023 ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a five-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
COLIN WEBER
Career: Played in 46 games with 11 starts at tight end ... ended collegiate career playing in 40 consecutive games ... totaled 73 receptions for 675 yards ... had multiple catches in 24 games ... contributed 102 receiving yards for Rutgers in 2025 ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... saw action 34 games the previous four seasons (2021-24) for Charlotte with eight starts ... compiled 56 receptions for 573 yards with multiple catches in 18 games for the 49ers ... added a pair of two-point conversions ... had one 100-yard receiving game ... named First Team All-American Athletic Conference by Pro Football Focus in 2023.
GUS ZILINSKAS
Career: Played in 48 games with 41 starts at center ... ended collegiate career starting 38 consecutive games over the past three seasons ... a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection ... named All-ECAC ... a member of the Rimington Award watch list ... winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award ... served as a team captain ... saw action in three bowl games ... a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society ... a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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/ FootballRutgers Baseball vs. Ohio State Highlights | 4/26/2026
Sunday, April 26
Head Coach Greg Schiano Spring Press Conference - 04/25/26
Saturday, April 25
Wide Receivers Coach Dave Brock - 04/23/26
Thursday, April 23
Associate Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Damiere Shaw - 04/23/26
Thursday, April 23
