GREEN BAY, Wis. — Ahmed Hassanein stood in a whirlwind of confetti and camera flashes on April 26, 2025, his name echoing through the NFL Draft’s sixth round. The Detroit Lions had just picked him, the 196th overall selection, etching his name into history as the first Egyptian ever chosen in the NFL Draft. For a kid who didn’t know football existed a decade ago, this was no small feat. It was a seismic moment, built on a journey that zigzagged from Cairo’s dusty streets to Boise State’s blue turf.
Hassanein’s story starts in California, where he was born, but it took root in Egypt. At six, he moved to Cairo with his father, diving into a world of boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, and CrossFit. He was a top-ranked CrossFit athlete in Egypt, all grit and muscle, but football? That was a foreign language. It wasn’t until 2018, when he reunited with his half-brother Cory Besch in Anaheim, that the sport entered his orbit. Besch, a football coach, saw raw potential in the lanky teenager. Hassanein, then 18, watched NFL clips on YouTube, mesmerized by Aaron Donald’s ferocity. He asked Besch what high school Donald played for, clueless that the NFL was a pro league. That naivety didn’t last long.
By his sophomore year at Loara High School, Hassanein was hurling himself into tackles, learning the game’s brutal rhythm. Rated a three-star recruit, he landed at Boise State University in 2019. There, he transformed into a wrecking ball. Over his college career, he racked up 119 tackles, 34 for loss, and 24 sacks, earning a reputation as a relentless edge rusher. His 6-foot-2, 267-pound frame, paired with a motor that never quit, caught scouts’ eyes. He became the first Egyptian to play FBS football and, in February 2025, the first to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, where his drills and infectious energy turned heads.
When the Lions called his name, Hassanein’s reaction was pure fire. “I’m ready to run through a wall for Dan Campbell,” he told reporters, his voice thick with emotion. Campbell, Detroit’s head coach, had just gambled on a raw but electrifying talent to bolster a defensive line anchored by Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson. Hassanein, still green in football years, brings a toolbox of power and finesse, honed at the Shrine Bowl, where he flashed quick hands and a knack for collapsing pockets.
His draft day wasn’t just about football. Moments after the pick, Hassanein dropped to one knee and proposed to his longtime girlfriend, sealing the day with a personal victory. The Lions, meanwhile, saw more than a player. They saw a story—born in the U.S., forged in Egypt, and now roaring into the NFL. Hassanein’s path, paved with language barriers and late starts, mirrors the grit Campbell preaches.
Detroit’s draft strategy raised eyebrows, waiting until the sixth round to address their edge rusher need. But general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t draft for flash. Hassanein, a team-voted captain at Boise State, fits the Lions’ culture of toughness. He’s not an instant starter—Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport hold those spots—but his upside is tantalizing. Analysts note his high motor and ability to set a hard edge against the run, though his pass-rush moves need polish.
Hassanein’s selection marks the 74th Boise State player drafted into the NFL and the second in 2025, following running back Ashton Jeanty, picked sixth overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. For Egypt, it’s a first. No player from the North African nation had ever reached this stage. Hassanein, who once didn’t know a touchdown from a takedown, now carries a flag across borders.
He’s not chasing glory alone. His brother’s coaching, his family’s sacrifices, and a chance encounter with football’s raw energy brought him here. As he steps into Detroit’s locker room, Hassanein’s improbable story—once a dream in Cairo’s crowded streets—takes its next step under the NFL’s bright lights.
Hassanein was born in California, moved to Egypt at age six, and returned to the U.S. in 2018. He began playing football in 2019 at Loara High School. At Boise State, he recorded 24 sacks and 34 tackles for loss. The Detroit Lions selected him with the 196th pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 26. He proposed to his girlfriend immediately after the draft announcement.