Indiana Football DL Mikail Kamara ranks as one of the top pass rushers in the nation through two weeks

Indiana football defensive lineman Mikail Kamara has made an instant impact in his first two games with the Hoosiers. After a dominant 2023 season with James Madison, Kamara has picked up right where he left off with Indiana football 2024.

In 12 games last year, Kamara recorded 18.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks and he forced four fumbles for the Dukes’ defense.

Through two games with the Hoosiers, he has recorded three sacks, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.

He also ranks inside the top ten in QB pressures among power four pass rushers per Pro Football Focus with 10 pressures. Kamara’s 10 pressures rank tied for sixth in the nation.

RELATED: Two Indiana football receivers headline PFF highest graded receiver list

Heading into a big game on the road against UCLA, Indiana football will need Kamara to continue his strong play on the defensive line.

“Just for the D-line to go out there and eat. That’s usually what it’s going to be every single week,” Kamara said to Austin Render about the gameplan for UCLA. “The D-line’s got to go out there, get vertical, make plays, get sacks, get TFLs. That’s what the defense is built around, so we gotta go out there and make plays.”

Kamara has led the way as the defensive line has been dominant through the first two games of the season. As a team, they’ve racked up 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss through those first two games.

With those two games coming against non-power four opponents, it has led to questions surrounding the actual talent of Indiana football. Saturday’s matchup with UCLA will give the Hoosiers the chance to silence many of those critics on the road against a Big Ten opponent. 

“[I’m] very excited. I think this is a game where we go out there and prove to everybody that this is real,” Kamara said to the media on Tuesday. “I feel like we’ve had two warmup games and people still might be a little bit skeptical. I think going in here, doing what we need to do against UCLA can start this change that we’re looking for.”

Kamara has been one of the many former James Madison transfers to make an instant impact for Indiana football, and they’ll need him to continue his strong start as they look to make noise in the Big Ten.

SEE ALSO: Podcast: Talkin’ Bout The Hoosiers Ep. 24 – Indiana football heads to UCLA plus a former IU Basketball manager joins the show

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