Somebody forgot to tell Nader he was just camp fodder...
The Jaguars brought in some players during mini camp for tryouts, and they awarded two of those players with contracts for their efforts. Nader Abdullah is the big UDFA DT out of Ohio State. He saw limited action starting 8 games his Jr. year and 7 games his Sr. year. However, he did well for himself in the workouts and drills, and some scouts had him going as high as the 3rd round.
Don't count him out, as he is a competent, big bodied interior lineman, something the Jags are sorely lacking in. He's got a real shot to make the team with the lack of talent at DT. Nader stands 6'4" and weighs 295 lbs; that is a nice size for a rookie. It's unrealistic to expect many guys to come in with a build like Terrence Knighton of 6'3" 323 lbs.
Abdullah performed well in the "Texas Vs. The Nation" games and practices. Here's an excerpt from his performance for scouts there.
Nader Abdullah (DT-Ohio State) - Abdallah put on a show in the pit, clubbing his opponent to the ground on one decisive win, freeing himself with a spin move on another, and pushing back his opponent with a irresistable bullrush on yet another. He also defeated blockers to make plays against the run in 11 on 11s. Abdallah turned heads as much as any Texas player today.
Abdullah was a 5th year senior at Ohio State, and is projected as able to play DE in a 3-4, or DT in a 4-3 scheme. He's seen as a very good, but not dominant, run-stuffer, and a poor to average pass-rusher. If Abdullah sticks with the Jaguars, it will be as an inside presence and rotational role at the DT position.
Teams don't hand out contracts willy-nilly, even less so after they signed a large un-drafted rookie class. The fact that Abdullah was offered a contract AFTER the team saw him play, bodes well for the young DT. That means the coaches likely saw something they liked, and decided to give the kid from Ohio State a chance to "prove it" in camp. He's a likely candidate for the practice squad if he struggles to make the active roster this year.
-Collin Streetman