Jan. 24, 2026, 4:15 p.m. ET
In a move that surprises absolutely no one, Indiana Hoosiers star defensive lineman Mikail Kamara declared for the 2026 NFL draft on Saturday afternoon. He announced the news on social media, taking the time to thank the teammates, coaches, and fans he had at Indiana and JMU.
Kamara made arguably the biggest play of the game as the Hoosiers beat the Miami Hurricanes to win their first-ever national championship. Indiana was up 10-7 with just over five minutes to play in the third quarter and had the Hurricanes pinned inside their own 10-yard line and facing fourth down. Despite not calling a play designed to block the punt, Kamara was able to race around the defense and get his hand on the ball, allowing Isaiah Jones to recover it in the end zone for the touchdown.
The play put them up 17-7, and they were able to hold on and win 27-17 after the teams traded scoring drives. Kamara wound up being named the Defensive Player of the Game. It was a fitting end to an extremely successful career.
Kamara followed head coach Curt Cignetti from JMU to Indiana ahead of the 2024 season and made an immediate impact. He started all 13 games and earned All-American and All-Big Ten honors after recording 47 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
While his production dipped to 34 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks in 2025, he still earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors and stepped up when Indiana needed him most.
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