Mikail Kamara DE/EDGE Indiana | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Mikail Kamara DE/EDGE Indiana
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/04/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.80 seconds (56%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |
| Last Updated: 11/04/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.80 seconds (56%*) | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.5 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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75% |
| Pass Rush: |
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93% |
| Run Defense: |
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90% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Mid
Overall Rank:
#22
Position rank:
#7
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| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1682 | ||
247 RATING: 85/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Josh Paschal - Kentucky |
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83% |
| Felix Anudike-Uzomah - Kansas State |
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81% |
| Jonah Elliss - Utah |
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76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Kamara followed head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison after a standout 2023 season. The 6'1", 260-pound edge rusher collected 52 tackles (27 solo), 17.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in his final season at JMU, earning HERO Sports Group of Five Third Team All-American and Second Team All-Sun Belt honors.Through his 2024 campaign at Indiana, Kamara dominated Big Ten competition, recording 36 pressures and leading the conference in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (14.5). His signature performance came against Michigan State, posting 7 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks - the most TFLs by a Hoosier since 1997. His 17 combined sacks and QB hits ranked highest among Power Four defenders through eight games.
The Stone Bridge High School product overcame a season-ending injury in 2021, bouncing back to record 14 tackles and 4.0 sacks in limited action during 2022. His prep career included Region 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior, collecting 34 tackles for loss and 15 sacks while leading his team to consecutive state championship appearances.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Twitched-up edge bender with explosive first-step quickness and natural leverage around the arc against offensive tackles
- Plus hand-fighting technique with advanced counters; consistently wins initial contact with violent punch and swim moves
- Stack-and-shed technician against the run; anchors effectively and maintains outside leverage while working off blocks
- Relentless motor from snap to whistle; consistently shows backside pursuit and second-effort finishing ability
- Scheme versatile rusher who can win from multiple alignments; effective standing up or hand in dirt
- Natural dip-and-rip move with ankle flexibility to flatten to QB; maintains speed through contact
- Heavy hands at point of attack; jolts offensive tackles backward with initial strike and converts speed to power
- Production jumped against elevated competition; dominated one-on-one matchups in Power Five play
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tweener frame lacks ideal length and bulk for setting the edge against NFL tackles
- Tight in the hips when asked to drop; limited change of direction skills in space
- Base narrows when anchoring against double teams; can get washed down line of scrimmage
- Straight-line athlete who lacks elite closing burst to consistently finish plays from backside pursuit
- Medical red flags from 2021 injury require further evaluation
Scouting Report: Summary
The violent hands and explosive first step translate immediately to passing downs at the next level. Shows refined pass rush plan with counter moves and leverage awareness that will create problems for NFL tackles. Dominant production against Big Ten competition validates rush ability translating to Sundays.Best fit comes as a designated pass rusher in an aggressive 3-4 scheme that allows him to attack from multiple alignments. Natural leverage and play strength compensate for lack of prototypical size. Ability to convert speed to power and win with technique projects well to sub-package situations.
Medicals and frame limitations cap early-down potential, but advanced rush toolkit and proven production against top competition point to immediate contributor on passing downs. Natural leverage and refined hand usage will allow rapid adjustment to NFL speed.
How other scouting services rate Mikail Kamara (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
88.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
29.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.