Indiana Football Eyes Lasting NFL Pipeline

Former player hopes this year's class starts a pipeline to the pros that lasts for years.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:27am

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Former Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara hopes this year's graduating class can start a lasting pipeline to the NFL, similar to the one at the University of Alabama. The league had an unprecedented presence at IU's Pro Day on Wednesday as scouts evaluated the team's top prospects.

Why it matters

Building a consistent pipeline to the NFL is a key goal for many college football programs, as it helps attract top recruits, boosts the program's national profile, and provides a source of pride for the university and local community. Indiana is looking to emulate the success of powerhouse programs like Alabama in developing NFL-caliber talent.

The details

Kamara, a former Indiana defensive end, expressed his hope that this year's graduating class can kickstart a long-term pipeline to the professional ranks for the Hoosiers. The NFL's presence at IU's Pro Day on Wednesday was larger than ever before as scouts evaluated the team's top prospects ahead of the upcoming draft.

  • Indiana held its Pro Day on Wednesday, April 2, 2026.

The players

Mikail Kamara

A former defensive end for the Indiana football team who hopes this year's class can start a lasting NFL pipeline for the program.

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What they’re saying

“Hopefully we can turn this into like Bama.”

— Mikail Kamara, Former Indiana football player

The takeaway

Indiana is aiming to build a consistent pipeline to the NFL, similar to powerhouse programs like Alabama, in order to attract top recruits, boost the program's national profile, and provide a source of pride for the university and local community.