Qadry Ismail was a confident rookie back in 1993. He was a second-round pick who knew that if he studied hard and took care of his business, it would work out for him in the NFL.
After 10 seasons in the league, including three in Baltimore in which he helped the Ravens win their first Super Bowl and posted two 1,000-yard campaigns, Ismail is comfortable with his place amongst Ravens Legends cemented.
Watching his son, Qadir Ismail, practice as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Ravens, however, now that comes with a healthy amount of anxiety.
When it’s your son you’re like, ‘Oh my God!’ There are all these thoughts going through your mind,” Qadry said. “As a parent, you know there are going to be challenges, but you just want the best for them.”
Qadir is vying for a spot on the Ravens’ roster this summer with his dad, a member of the team’s media corps, watching intently. If there was ever a Father’s Day weekend to treasure in the Ismail house, this is it. The Ismails are trying to become a second Ravens father-son duo on the 53-man roster.
At 6-foot-6, Qadir is hard to miss on the field even if you’re not his dad. Originally invited for a tryout at rookie minicamp, he was signed to the 90-man roster at the start of Organized Team Activities.
As Head Coach John Harbaugh was walking to his meeting with reporters following a recent OTA practice, he stopped to chat with Qadry briefly and said something to the effect of, “it’s different when it’s your son, huh?” Qadry burst into laughter.
Qadry knows full well what his son has done to get to this point. A converted quarterback who transferred from Villanova, he totaled 16 catches for 156 yards over two seasons as a wide receiver at Samford University. Stats were not going to get him an opportunity.
So as Qadir was on the drive back home from Alabama in late November, after his graduate season had ended, he called his father to formulate a plan to get to the NFL.
There was about 16 weeks before his pro day – about the equivalent of an NFL season. Qadry, who earned the name “Missile” because of his blazing speed, would put him on his Missile Training program – with no breaks.
“I set forward the game plan that I would do with any of my clients – except this one mattered more because he’s my son,” Qadry said. “He aced it. He showed up every day and didn’t flinch when it came to working.”
Qadir aced his pro day at Samford. He did so again at another Pro Day at Towson, this time in front of Ravens player personnel assistant and former wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. That got Qadir an invite to the Ravens’ local pro day, where he performed well again.
Qadry had put a bug in the ear of former Ravens director of college scouting David Blackburn, who is now the Washington Commanders’ director of player personnel. After seeing what Qadir did at the local pro day, Blackburn told Ismail that he thought Qadir would be a fit as a player and culturally in Baltimore.
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