The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly adding one of the more interesting names from the post-draft market.
Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network reported on X that the 49ers are signing Indiana EDGE Mikail Kamara after the NFL Draft, calling the move a “big get in the UDFA bucket.” The signing had not yet been formally announced by the team at the time of publication.
Kamara is not a typical undrafted flier. He leaves Indiana as a College Football Playoff national champion and was named Defensive Player of the Game in the Hoosiers’ 27-21 title-game win over Miami, a game in which he blocked a punt that turned into an Indiana touchdown. Reuters reported that Kamara’s blocked punt helped give Indiana a 17-7 lead in the third quarter, and Miami later had its final comeback attempt ended by a Jamari Sharpe interception.
That résumé alone makes him a notable rookie addition for a 49ers team that spent much of the draft weekend reshaping depth across the trenches. San Francisco used a third-round pick on Texas Tech defensive lineman Romello Height and a fourth-rounder on Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton, according to the team’s official draft-class breakdown.
Kamara now gives the 49ers another edge option to bring into rookie minicamp and training camp.
Big get in the UDFA bucket.
Mikail Kamara Brings Production, Pressure & Championship Experience to 49ers
Kamara’s path to the NFL took him from James Madison to Indiana, where he followed Curt Cignetti and became one of the faces of the Hoosiers’ defensive rise.
His 2024 season was the best statistical year of his career: 47 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Indiana’s official bio credited him with a dominant game against Michigan State that season, when he produced seven tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
His sack production dipped in 2025, but the underlying pressure numbers remained part of the appeal. Steelers Depot’s pre-draft scouting report credited Kamara with 34 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 58 pressures in 2025, along with 148 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, 23.5 sacks and 7 forced fumbles for his college career.
That helps explain why Fowler framed the signing as more than a routine UDFA pickup. Kamara had enough college disruption to get drafted, but his size and athletic profile likely pushed him into the priority free-agent range. Steelers Depot listed his concerns as subpar athleticism, difficulty disengaging from bigger linemen and an injury history, while also noting the production that made him a legitimate prospect.
For San Francisco, that is exactly the type of bet worth making after the draft. Undrafted rookies do not need to arrive as finished players. They need one or two traits that translate, a path to special teams or rotational value, and enough urgency to survive a crowded summer roster.
Kamara’s motor and pressure production give him that chance.
Why the 49ers Fit Matters for Kamara
The 49ers already have proven pass-rush pieces, but the back end of the edge group is still a place where a rookie can make noise.
San Francisco acquired Bryce Huff from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025 to give the defense another edge option across from Nick Bosa. The Associated Press reported at the time that Huff reunited with Robert Saleh and gave the 49ers a needed pass rusher after Leonard Floyd’s departure.
That context matters for Kamara because Saleh’s defensive front has long valued waves of rushers. The 49ers do not have to view Kamara as an immediate starter for the signing to matter. His more realistic path is competing for a developmental edge role, practice-squad priority or a special teams-heavy roster spot.
The 49ers also have recent evidence that undrafted pass rushers can become real NFL contributors. Huff himself entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Jets in 2020 before eventually turning elite pressure efficiency into a major contract with Philadelphia.
That does not mean Kamara is on the same trajectory. It does mean San Francisco has reason to take a long look at a productive college edge who slipped through the draft.
Kamara’s biggest summer task will be showing he can win against NFL-caliber tackles despite questions about length, bend and finishing athleticism. If he can pressure the pocket, hold up well enough against the run and contribute on coverage units, he has a real chance to stick around.
For now, the 49ers are betting on production, toughness and championship experience. As post-draft signings go, that is a worthwhile swing.
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