COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Day 6 Mikail Kamara
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 262 pounds
Hometown: Ashburn, Virginia (Stone Bridge)
Class/Position: Redshirt Senior / Defensive Line
Twitter/X: (@Mikail_kamara6)
The 2025 Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff is barreling forward, and with less than ONE week until Indiana storms onto the field against Old Dominion, the excitement in Bloomington is electric. As part of our 100-day tradition of spotlighting every player on the roster, today we turn the spotlight on a name that Hoosier fans already know well—defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, one of the anchors of Indiana’s front seven.
Kamara’s football journey mirrors the gritty, underdog identity that’s become a hallmark of this Indiana roster. Coming out of high school, he didn’t have a single star next to his name, but that didn’t stop him from carving his own path. In June of 2020, Kamara enrolled at James Madison University to play under head coach Curt Cignetti.
The Dukes wouldn’t make the jump to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference until 2022, but even as an FCS program, JMU was already well established. His path to Bloomington carries the same theme we’ve seen across the locker room: players with something to prove and a chip firmly planted on their shoulder.
Kamara’s freshman season didn’t exactly start as planned, but it quickly became a defining chapter in his story of resilience. In August of 2020, the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), JMU’s conference at the time, postponed fall football due to the pandemic. The Dukes eventually played a shortened spring season in 2021, and Kamara made the most of his opportunity, starting the first six games before a late-season injury sidelined him.
In those six starts, Kamara racked up 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks, earning CAA Rookie of the Week honors after a dominant Week 1 performance that included a tackle for a 10-yard loss. Unfortunately, his injury cost him not only the final two games of that spring season but his entire sophomore campaign as well, forcing him to take a medical redshirt. Instead of letting setbacks derail his career, Kamara used the time to rebuild himself, laying the foundation for his potential breakout.
The stage was set for 2022, and it was a year of transition—not just for Kamara, but for JMU as well, as the Dukes jumped to the Sun Belt Conference and the FBS level. Unfortunately, injuries came calling again. Kamara started four of the five games he appeared in but missed six of the final seven weeks due to injuries. Even so, he proved he could thrive against stronger competition, recording 14 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and a forced fumble in limited action.
Despite the setbacks, Kamara’s grit never wavered. Mikail wasn’t going to let torn labrums in his shoulder and high ankle sprains keep him down. He made it his mission to return not just healthy, but dominant.
In 2023, he delivered on that promise. Kamara started every regular-season game, transforming himself into one of the Sun Belt’s most disruptive defenders. He racked up 52 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended, proving his ability to wreak havoc week after week. Even more impressive, he recorded at least one tackle for loss in 11 of 12 games, cementing his consistency as well as his explosiveness. His efforts earned him Second-Team All-Sun Belt honors, validating the relentless work he’d put in to overcome injuries and adversity. But Kamara wasn’t satisfied.
When Coach Curt Cignetti left for Indiana, Kamara seized the moment—entering the transfer portal to test himself at the Power Four level and reunite with the staff that helped shape him. The move also gave him a chance to face off against Maryland, one of the schools that once overlooked him.
The 2024 season presented Kamara with the chance to break through at the national scale. Determined to prove he belonged in the Big Ten, he spent the offseason sharpening every aspect of his game—and the results spoke for themselves. Kamara started all 13 games and became a nightmare for opposing offenses, racking up 47 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
Even more impressive, he led the entire FBS in total pressures (73), solidifying himself as one of the most feared pass rushers in the country. His dominance earned him a spot as a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, and First-Team All-Big Ten honors from both coaches and media—a testament to his relentless work ethic and game-changing ability.
Kamara is nothing short of a force of nature. The numbers alone tell the story: a tackle in all 36 career games and a tackle for loss in 30 of those 36 showcase his unmatched consistency and disruptive presence. Now entering his final collegiate season, Kamara isn’t satisfied with what he’s accomplished—he’s hungry for more. In 2025, he’s taking on a new challenge, moving to the STUD position, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker role designed to maximize his explosiveness and versatility.
If his track record is any indication, Kamara will thrive in this new spot, bringing chaos to backfields and energy to Hoosier Nation. For Kamara, this season isn’t just about personal success—it’s about leading Indiana’s defense to new heights and leaving his mark as one of the program’s all-time greats.
Kickoff is almost here and we at Hoosier Huddle cannot wait! The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues with Day 5 tomorrow!