On April 1, Indiana football took another step forward, one that would’ve felt pretty unrealistic not long ago. The program hosted a Pro Day that drew real attention from NFL scouts, something Bloomington simply wasn’t used to seeing before.
Now, under head coach Curt Cignetti, that kind of turnout is starting to feel normal. The Hoosiers have changed quickly, both culturally and competitively, and it’s beginning to show on a national level.
Can Indiana Football Become the Next Alabama Under Curt Cignetti?
A big part of that rise has been edge rusher Mikail Kamara. Over the past two seasons, he’s been one of the players setting the tone on defense, the kind of presence offenses have to account for on every snap. With his college career now behind him, Pro Day was about proving he belongs at the next level.
But Kamara didn’t just let his performance do the talking.
“Hopefully we can turn this into Bama… old Bama.”
“Hopefully we can turn this into Bama…old Bama”
Mikail Kamara on how prominent Indiana football is going to be in the NFL in the future. #iufb pic.twitter.com/ciXMfRztLN
— Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) April 1, 2026
It’s a short quote, but there’s a lot packed into it.
At the surface level, it’s obvious what he means. Indiana wants to become a true NFL pipeline, the kind that Alabama built under Nick Saban.
Develop elite players, reload every year without rebuilds, and send guys to the league consistently. That’s been the gold standard for a while.
But the “old Bama” part stands out.
With Kalen DeBoer now leading Alabama, there’s at least some sense that the program isn’t viewed in quite the same way it once was. And Indiana didn’t just talk; they made a statement, beating Alabama by 35 in the Rose Bowl. That turned heads.
Still, this isn’t just about one quote or one game.
Cignetti comes from the Saban tree, and you can see those influences everywhere: discipline, structure, balance. Indiana isn’t winning one way. They’ve built a team that can control games on both sides of the ball, which is what made those Alabama teams so difficult to deal with at their peak.
The numbers back it up, too. Indiana finished with the top PFSN CFB Offensive and Defensive Impact grades in the country, which speaks volumes about how complete this roster really is.
And the talent isn’t slowing down.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is already being talked about as a potential No. 1 overall pick and sits near the top of multiple big boards. A few years ago, that kind of buzz around an Indiana player would’ve felt out of place. Now, it’s becoming expected.
He’s not the only one, either. Players like Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt are also attracting attention as top-15 wide receivers in the 2026 Draft, according to PFSN’s consensus big board, underscoring the growing depth of NFL-level talent on the roster.
What really stands out is how fast all of this has happened. Two years ago, Indiana wasn’t part of this kind of conversation. Now, they’re being mentioned alongside some of the sport’s top programs, at least in terms of where things are headed.
Kamara’s Pro Day wasn’t just about his own future. It felt like a snapshot of something bigger: a program that’s starting to expect this level of success, not just hope for it.
And if things keep trending this way, that “old Bama” comment might age pretty well.
