AH #99

Ahmed Hassanein

Defensive End · Boise State

The first player of Egyptian heritage ever drafted into the NFL, a relentless pass rusher who didn't start playing football until age 16.

Ahmed Hassanein's path to the NFL is unlike almost any other in the league: born in California, raised in Cairo, Egypt, and only introduced to football after moving back to the United States in 2018. He turned that late start into a standout career at Boise State and became a sixth-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2025, a milestone as the first Egyptian-heritage player ever drafted.

★ First player of Egyptian heritage drafted into the NFL (2025)

★ Two-time first-team All-Mountain West selection (2023, 2024)

★ 24 career sacks at Boise State, fourth-most in program history

Path to the league

Hassanein moved to Egypt at age six to live with his father, where he trained in CrossFit, wrestling, boxing, and swimming before returning to California in 2018, where his brother, a football coach, introduced him to the sport. A three-star recruit at Loara High School in Anaheim, he signed with Boise State in December 2020 and became the Detroit Lions' sixth-round pick, 196th overall, in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Hassanein broke out as a junior at Boise State in 2023 with 53 tackles, 17 for loss, and 12.5 sacks, earning first-team All-Mountain West honors. As a senior team captain in 2024 he added 48 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, again earning first-team All-Mountain West recognition. He finished his Boise State career with 119 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, and 24 sacks, the fourth-most in program history, while leading the conference in quarterback hits.

2025 season recap

Hassanein's rookie season was cut short by a pectoral injury suffered in a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. He was waived with an injury settlement on August 26, 2025, but the Lions brought him back to the practice squad on November 10 once he recovered, and he signed a reserve/futures contract with Detroit on January 5, 2026.