Indiana edge rusher Mikail Kamara produced eye-popping numbers in 2023.
And even after tallying 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles last season at James Madison, head coach Curt Cignetti has seen progress.
A couple weeks into fall camp, anticipated startling tackle Carter Smith has seen Kamara in his nightmares.
“I hate Mikail man. I hate Mikail. He’s so fast. He’s so good with hands,” Smith said last week after dealing with Kamara for multiple practices.
Watching the 6-foot-1 and 265-pound Kamara at fall camp this month, it’s clear he is able to combine high-end foot speed with his low leverage to make things difficult for taller offensive tackles like Smith.
As you witness him practice swim moves, Kamara combines his fast twitch, physical attributes and technique to get off blocks in a way that is noticeably advanced.
The praise from Smith is no small thing. The 6-foot-5 and 308-pounder started all 12 games at offensive tackle for the Hoosiers in 2023.
Smith’s PFF grade ranked 15th among all tackles in the 2026 draft class — only one Big Ten player finished above him in that respect. His 2023 PFF grade was fifth nationally among freshmen.
After Smith entered the transfer portal following the season, he had opportunities at places like Florida State, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech.
So Kamara’s ability to push Smith is noteworthy.
And even though he saw Kamara living in opposing backfields a year ago, Cignetti has seen even more at fall camp.
Kamara is the first player who came to mind as Cignetti discussed a defensive unit that is starting to find its groove at fall camp.
“I think the one guy that’s really upped his game is Kamara,” Cignetti said on Monday. “I saw that in the spring and it’s continued in the fall. He’s just playing at another level.
“He’s a guy, we got him as a freshman in 2020 and he started for us as a true freshman but he had two bad shoulders that both needed surgically repaired at the end of the season. He couldn’t do them both at the same time, had to do one, then four months or six months later do another.
“He’s healthy and he’s a good player.”
Coming out of Stone Bridge H.S. (Ashburn, Va.) in the class of 2020, Kamara wasn’t ranked by 247Sports. Along with JMU, he had offers from schools like Delaware, Charlotte, and Kent State.
But like Smith, Kamara had multiple Power Four options upon entering the transfer portal, including Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Cignetti admits figuring out whether a Group of Five player will translate to the Big Ten is more art than science.
But Kamara appears to be on track to make a splash for Indiana this fall.
