Indiana football was one of six Big Ten teams with multiple players on the conference's preseason honor roll:
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara and defensive back D'Angelo Ponds were named to the Big Ten's preseason honors list on Tuesday, as selected by a 16-person media panel.
Ohio State and Penn State each had three honorees to led all Big Ten schools.
Kamara is coming off one of the best seasons for a defensive lineman in IU history. He was the program's first defensive lineman since Greg Middleton to earn All-American honors while leading the FBS in quarterback pressures (73).
The former JMU defender also earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the conference coaches and media. He was the first Indiana player with double-digit sacks (10.0) since 2008 (Jammie Kirlew).
Kamara joined linebacker Aiden Fisher and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt in Las Vegas as one of the student-athletes representing Indiana at Big Ten Media Days. He told The Herald-Times his goal for 2025 is to help the Hoosiers win a national title and earn Defensive Player of the Year Honors.
"I take pride in everything I did, no matter the stats I give, they don't give me the credit and put me with the best," Kamara said. "I want to be the best. I came into last OK being one of the best, this year the only goals are winning a championship and being the best."
Ponds earned second-team All-American honors as a sophomore and was named first-team All-Big Ten from the conference coaches and media. He had 57 tackles (36 solo) with five tackles for loss and three interceptions. He's expected to anchor IU's secondary this season alongside returning safety Amare Ferrell.
2025 Big Ten Preseason Honors
- QB Luke Altmyer, ILL
- OLB Gabe Jacas, ILL
- DL Mikail Kamara, IND
- DB D’Angelo Ponds, IND
- OT Gennings Dunker, IOWA
- C Logan Jones, IOWA
- DB Koi Perich, MINN
- OLB Matayo Uiagalelei,ORE
- DB Dillon Thieneman, ORE
- SAF Caleb Downs, OSU
- WR JEREMIAH SMITH, OSU
- LB Sonny Styles, OSU
- QB Drew Allar, PSU
- DE Dani Dennis-Sutton,PSU
- RB Nicholas Singleton,PSU
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football: Mikail Kamara and D'Angelo Ponds earn 2025 Big Ten preseason honors
Category: General Sports
