Wikipedia

Mikail Kamara

Mikail Kamara (born October 9, 2001)[1] is an American professional football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). Kamara won a national championship in 2026 and was selected as the game's defensive MVP. He previously played for the James Madison Dukes and the Indiana Hoosiers.

Mikail Kamara
Kamara after the 2026 CFP Championship, where he was named Defensive Player of the Game.
San Francisco 49ers
PositionDefensive end
Roster statusActive
Personal information
Born (2001-10-09) October 9, 2001 (age 24)[1]
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High schoolStone Bridge (Ashburn, Virginia)
College
NFL draft2026: undrafted
Career history
Awards and highlights
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Kamara attended Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia. He had 16 sacks his junior year and 15 his senior year. He was named the Region 5C Defensive Player of the Year his senior season.[2] Kamara committed to James Madison University to play college football.[3]

College career

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As a freshman at James Madison in 2020, Kamara started all six games in the COVID-19 shortened season, and recorded 16 tackles and three sacks. After missing the 2021 season due to injury and redshirting, he played in five games in 2022 and had 14 tackles and four sacks.[4] In 2023, he started all 12 games and finished with 52 tackles and 6.5 sacks.

After JMU's head coach, Curt Cignetti, was hired by the Indiana Hoosiers, Kamara entered the transfer portal and followed his coach to Indiana.[5][6] He was a starter his first year at Indiana in 2024, and recorded 10.0 sacks, which helped him earn 1st Team All-Big Ten and 3rd Team All-American honors.[7][8] In 2025 Kamara started in all sixteen games of the Hoosiers' undefeated season and led the Big Ten Conference in total quarterback pressures with 59[9]. Kamara was named the defensive MVP of the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship after blocking a punt in the third quarter that was quickly recovered by teammate Isaiah Jones.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanWingspan40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleVertical jumpBroad jump
6 ft 0+5⁄8 in
(1.84 m)		250 lb
(113 kg)		31+3⁄8 in
(0.80 m)		9+5⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		6 ft 5+1⁄8 in
(1.96 m)		4.93 s1.70 s2.86 s4.75 s34.0 in
(0.86 m)		9 ft 1 in
(2.77 m)
All values from Pro Day[10]

After going undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft, Kamara signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent.[11][12]

References

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  1. 1 2 @Mikail_kamara6 (October 10, 2019). "Blessed to see 18 yrs 🤗👏🏾" (Tweet). Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ News-Record, GREG MADIA Daily (February 15, 2021). "FIELD NOTES: Dukes Have Freshmen Who Could Play". Daily News-Record.
  3. ↑ News-Record, GREG MADIA Daily (February 5, 2020). "LIVE BLOG: National Signing Day At JMU". Daily News-Record.
  4. ↑ Epps Jr., Wayne (August 15, 2022). "JMU defensive end Mikail Kamara ready for return to game action, better than before". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  5. ↑ Frank, Evan (19 December 2023). "IU football gets James Madison defensive lineman Mikail Kamara in transfer portal". The Indianapolis Star.
  6. ↑ Niziolek, Michael (24 August 2024). "'I'm a zero star.' How JMU transfer Mikail Kamara evolved into pass rusher IU craves". The Indianapolis Star.
  7. ↑ Niziolek, Michael (11 September 2024). "'That's kind of poison': IU football defender channels Nick Saban as team preps for UCLA". The Herald-Times.
  8. ↑ Ankony, Jack (2024-11-01). "How To Watch Indiana Football Against Michigan State in Week 10". Indiana Hoosiers On SI. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
  9. ↑ Niziolek, Michael. "Indiana football's DE Mikail Kamara signing with 49ers as UDFA". Courier & Press. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  10. ↑ "Mikail Kamara College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  11. ↑ "49ers Agree to Terms with Undrafted Rookie Free Agents". 49ers.com. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "49ers Sign Six Draft Picks, Seven Undrafted Rookie Free Agents". 49ers.com. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
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