In response to the item we posted earlier today regarding the failure of former Southern Illinois running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir to get a shot at the NFL in the four years since he was first eligible for the draft, a league source tells us that the word on Abdulqaadir is that he simply can’t play.

The source tells us that he was contacted by the author of the Portfolio article linking Abdulqaadir’s inability to stick with an NFL team to his father’s alleged terrorist connection, and that the source then conducted a straw poll of several scouts and management types. 

The opinion was unanimous — the kid can’t play.

The source tells us that he told the writer what had been learned.  If a quote to that effect is in there, we sure didn’t see it.  (We’ll rely on PFT Planet to let us know if our eyes have deceived us, via the comments feature.)

As mentioned in an update to our initial Abdulqaadir entry, but as not mentioned in Portfolio, a similar dynamic didn’t prevent running back Musa Smith from being drafted, or from spending the past five years in the NFL. 

UPDATE:  This quote from an e-mail sent to us by a veteran NFL talent evaluator pretty much sums it up . . . “Just to see what we had on Abdulqaadir I went back and looked.  We rejected him.  Not because he was Muslim but because he was 5′7″/193 and ran a 4.64.  (If you’re that small you better be VERY fast!!)  It has nothing to do with religion.  It has everything to do with size/speed.  I get hundreds of calls/e-mails from kids who THINK they can play.  Very few can.  They have to face reality and get on with their lives.  This kid obviously can’t do that.”