Miss-Delectable
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Jacksonville.com
He has the size for the defensive line at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds.
He has good technique, which he learned in his two seasons at Western Kentucky.
He has the desire to take his game to the next level.
Munir Muwwakkil is a relatively unknown defensive tackle for Edward Waters College, but like most football players, he'd like to make it to the NFL. But should he fulfill that dream and be introduced before a game, Muwwakkil will never hear the crowd's response to his introduction.
That's because Muwwakkil, now 21, has been deaf since he was 3, when he was stricken with an illness that eventually led to his total loss of hearing.
"I was sad at first, very disappointed, but I've made the best of it," he said through sign language to Nathaniel Shropshire III, an EWC senior who befriended Muwwakkil and serves as an interpreter for him on occasions. "I've learned to deal with it, and now I feel comfortable with being deaf. It's not a handicap."
Muwwakkil's teammates took an instant liking to him. Many have learned hand-signing - some better than others - and can communicate with him. Fellow defensive lineman Jamal Sheffield has learned enough signing that he will signal plays to Muwwakkil, who nods and carries out his assignment, as he will during Saturday afternoon's homecoming game against George Mason.
The fact that teammates and some coaches have learned hand signs is comforting to Muwwakkil.
"I really like it here," he said through Shropshire. "The coaches have helped me a lot, and they have done a good job in communicating with me with some hand signs and letting me use wristbands with the plays on it. The same with some of my teammates, who also sign with me. It makes me happy that my teammates have taken the time to learn signing."
Tigers coach Kevin Clark calls Muwwakkil a welcome addition to the team and someone who could develop into a professional player.
"Munir can be a big impact on this program," Clark said. "He's powerfully strong. If he can get into a little better condition, I believe he can play at the next level. He's strong in the weight room, bench-pressing 425 and squatting 550, but he's not in good running shape."
Clark admitted he didn't know what to expect from Muwwakkil, a business major who transferred to EWC so he could play more than be did at Western Kentucky and be closer to his family in Tampa. Clark was thrilled with the potential of a 325-pound nose tackle but wasn't sure if Muwwakkil's deafness would limit his ability to perform at this level.
"I really thought when he first got here, that we were going to have problems with him being a deaf-mute and us not being able to communicate with him," Clark said. "But it hasn't been a problem at all. It's worked out so well, it's been a blessing.
"We don't look at Munir having a handicap, a disability. He's a player, just one of the players."
He has the size for the defensive line at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds.
He has good technique, which he learned in his two seasons at Western Kentucky.
He has the desire to take his game to the next level.
Munir Muwwakkil is a relatively unknown defensive tackle for Edward Waters College, but like most football players, he'd like to make it to the NFL. But should he fulfill that dream and be introduced before a game, Muwwakkil will never hear the crowd's response to his introduction.
That's because Muwwakkil, now 21, has been deaf since he was 3, when he was stricken with an illness that eventually led to his total loss of hearing.
"I was sad at first, very disappointed, but I've made the best of it," he said through sign language to Nathaniel Shropshire III, an EWC senior who befriended Muwwakkil and serves as an interpreter for him on occasions. "I've learned to deal with it, and now I feel comfortable with being deaf. It's not a handicap."
Muwwakkil's teammates took an instant liking to him. Many have learned hand-signing - some better than others - and can communicate with him. Fellow defensive lineman Jamal Sheffield has learned enough signing that he will signal plays to Muwwakkil, who nods and carries out his assignment, as he will during Saturday afternoon's homecoming game against George Mason.
The fact that teammates and some coaches have learned hand signs is comforting to Muwwakkil.
"I really like it here," he said through Shropshire. "The coaches have helped me a lot, and they have done a good job in communicating with me with some hand signs and letting me use wristbands with the plays on it. The same with some of my teammates, who also sign with me. It makes me happy that my teammates have taken the time to learn signing."
Tigers coach Kevin Clark calls Muwwakkil a welcome addition to the team and someone who could develop into a professional player.
"Munir can be a big impact on this program," Clark said. "He's powerfully strong. If he can get into a little better condition, I believe he can play at the next level. He's strong in the weight room, bench-pressing 425 and squatting 550, but he's not in good running shape."
Clark admitted he didn't know what to expect from Muwwakkil, a business major who transferred to EWC so he could play more than be did at Western Kentucky and be closer to his family in Tampa. Clark was thrilled with the potential of a 325-pound nose tackle but wasn't sure if Muwwakkil's deafness would limit his ability to perform at this level.
"I really thought when he first got here, that we were going to have problems with him being a deaf-mute and us not being able to communicate with him," Clark said. "But it hasn't been a problem at all. It's worked out so well, it's been a blessing.
"We don't look at Munir having a handicap, a disability. He's a player, just one of the players."
