Mikail Kamara Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Jacob Spudich/Indiana Daily Student)

School: Indiana

Class:Redshirt Senior

Position:EDGE

HT: 6’1

WT:265 lbs

Background:Mikail Kamara was an unranked defensive end in the 2020 class out of Ashburn, Virginia. Mikail played for Stone Bridge High School and was an honorable mention All-Metro selection as a senior. That was a year in which he also earned Region 5A Defensive Player of the Year. Out of high school, Kamara chose to stay close to home and play for James Madison.

College: As a freshman in 2020, Kamara played a spring season where he earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors multiple times. Mikail was hampered by injuries in ‘21 and ‘22, but came back hot in 2023. He was named Second Team All-Sun Belt after recording 18.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. Kamara followed JMU HC Kurt Cignetti to Indiana and made just as big of an impact in the Big 10. He was an All-American and First Team All-Big 10 member in 2024 after recording 15 TFLs and 10 sacks. Kamara returned in 2025 as a member of a team that went on to win the national championship. He was an All-Big 10 honorable mention selection after posting 7 TFLs and 2 sacks.

Strengths: Mikail Kamara explodes off the line to burst into the point of contact with extreme violence. Kamara shows impressive bend around the edge to dip under the center of gravity of his opponent. He has the ankle flexion to make sharp cuts and take good angles to the backfield. He plays with a low pad level to win the leverage battle. Kamara enters each pass rush rep with a detailed plan to attack. He is just as effective on the counter rush as he is on the initial rush. Kamara has a violent bull rush and sharp swim move to put opponents on their heels. He plays with a high motor that is shown to go through the whistle.

Weaknesses: Kamara has concerning measurements. He is a shorter player for the position with incredibly short arms. These measurements prove to be a problem for Kamara as a tackler. He also doesn’t generate the momentum that is needed on every snap due to his smaller frame; he tends to get long-armed by offensive tackles in the phone booth.

Conclusion: Mikail Kamara is an explosive playmaker. He is a natural pass rusher who wins in a variety of ways. His size limits him as a run defender, but he can come into an organization and become a pass rush specialist. Kamara can prove to be a matchup nightmare for the slower, less athletic offensive tackles. Look for Mikail to put up impressive pass rushing numbers quickly.

Best Team Fits: CLE, PHI, SF

Player Comparison: Arnold Ebiketie

Player Grade: Round 4 (66.5)