Socolive - Latest Sports News & Updates

Rutgers Football Head Coach Greg Schiano announced the team captains today following a team vote and here are the four leaders.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive lineman Jordan Walker (82) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field.
(CREDIT: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Rutgers Football has picked the team captains for the 2025 season following a team vote, as quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, offensive lineman Gus Zilinskas, edge rusher Jordan Walker and linebacker Dariel Djabome have all earned the honor.

Join The Knight Report now for $1 your first week and enjoy a complimentary year of The Athletic – included with your membership.

Athan Kaliakmanis

The lone returnee among the group is gunslinger Athan Kaliakmanis, who returns after a very productive 2024 season where he passed for 2,696 yards and 18 touchdowns on the year. He is the first Scarlet Knight to hit 2,000+ passing yards in a single season since 2015. Kaliakmanis was also recently named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm preseason watch list.

Dariel Djabome

After some early season struggles last year, Djabome really settled into his new role as starting linebacker and quietly became one of the best in the Big Ten Conference last season. Djabome finished the year with 105 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, while being a finalist for the finalist for the Cornish Trophy, which is annually given to the top Canadian player in all of college football.

Gus Zilinskas

Zilinskas originally joined the Scarlet Knights as a member of the 2021 recruiting class and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup over the past couple of seasons. Since joining the program, Zilinskas has played in 36 games, starting 29 times, including a streak of 26 consecutive starts.

According to PFF, Zilinskas was one of the most consistent offensive linemen on the Scarlet Knights roster as he posted 72.7 pass block grade and 70.3 run blocking grade. Those grades were good enough to have him as the 9th best center in the Big Ten and the 45th best in the country last season. Additionally, he allowed the fewest pressures (13) among all Scarlet Knights starting offensive linemen last season.

Zilinskas was also named to the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list, which is presented annually to the top center in college football.

Jordan Walker

Walk has made quite the journey since joining Rutgers Football back in 2022, as he started out as a walk-on tight end before being move to defensive line and was the program’s sack leader with 4.5 total last season.

He also now becomes the 14th Scarlet Knight to go from walk-on to captain since 1993. You can see the full list of players to do the same below.