| No. 61 – Detroit Lions | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 9, 2002 Anaheim, California, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 275 lb (125 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Loara (Anaheim, California) |
| College: | Boise State (2021–2024) |
| NFL draft: | 2025: 6th round, 196th pick |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Ahmed Hassanein (born July 9, 2002) is an Egyptian-American professional football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos and was selected by the Lions in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Hassanein was born in the United States and moved to Egypt at age six to live with his father in Cairo, where he participated in CrossFit, wrestling, boxing, and swimming. [1] [2] In 2018, he moved to Anaheim, California, to live with his brother, a football coach who convinced him to try the sport. [1] [2] "My brother saved me,” Hassanein later said. "I was in Egypt acting one way and my life and personality changed. I’ve been grinding and working. I’m blessed." [2]
Hassanein attended Loara High School in Anaheim, where he was rated a three-star recruit. On December 16, 2020, he signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football for the Boise State Broncos. [2] [3]
In his first two collegiate seasons in 2021 and 2022, Hassanein appeared in 21 games and notched 18 tackles with two being for a loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. [4] [5] [6] He had a breakout season in 2023, notching 53 tackles with 17 being for a loss, 12.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles for the Broncos. [1] [7] Hassanein was named first-team All-Mountain West Conference for 2023. [8] Heading into the 2024 season, he was named one of the Broncos team captains. [9] In week two of the 2024 season, Hassanein tallied a sack against Oregon. [10] In his final collegiate game, the 2024 Fiesta Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoffs, Hassanein made a sack and six tackles (three for loss). He finished the year with 48 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, and was named first-team All-Mountain West Conference again for his senior season. [4] [11] On January 6, 2024, Hassanein declared for the 2025 NFL draft. [12]
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Cmb | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | TD | PD | ||
| 2021 | Boise State | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Boise State | 12 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Boise State | 14 | 53 | 30 | 23 | 17 | 12.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Boise State | 14 | 48 | 28 | 20 | 16 | 9.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 49 | 119 | 69 | 50 | 35 | 24.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+3⁄8 in (1.89 m) | 267 lb (121 kg) | 32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 4.77 s | 1.70 s | 2.80 s | 4.48 s | 7.19 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) | 32 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [13] [14] | ||||||||||||
Hassanein was selected 196th overall in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. [15]
Hassanein converted from Islam to Christianity while attending Boise State University. [16] He has credited his coach, Spencer Danielson, with introducing him to the faith. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] Hassanein's sister is activist and journalist Gigi Ibrahim. [22]
Hassanein is the first player of Egyptian heritage ever selected in the NFL draft. [23]