Two Boise State writers reflect on Ahmed Hassanein’s incredible journey to the NFL, and talk about his potential with the Detroit Lions
Ahmed Hassanein immediately won over the hearts of every Detroit Lions fan when he was drafted in the sixth-round. Sure, fans rejoiced the moment a pass rusher was selected, but the excitement truly came once we first heard him speak in his introductory press conference.
I’ve seen very few football players with as much heart and passion for the game as Hassanein, and we’ve yet to even see what he can do on the football field at a professional level. The sixth-round pick made waves at the NFL Combine for hyping up the coaches and matching their intensity during drills. Now, he’ll be doing the same with Dan Campbell in Detroit.
I spoke with Boise State football experts Michael Johnson and Shaun Goodwin to learn a bit more about everybody’s favorite new Detroit Lion:
Previously:
- 5 questions: 3 Ohio State writers break down Tyleik Williams
- 5 questions: Arkansas writer talks WR Isaac TeSlaa
1. How would you describe Hassanein’s impact both on and off the field as a player and teammate?
Johnson: Well, Ahmed only started playing football in 2019, so he was unaccustomed to the game itself. Much less, the nuances of his position. He was just big and strong. So, statistically, he had minimal impact in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, however, he had figured out enough to become truly dangerous. He went on a tear and ended up with 12.5 sacks, 16.5 TFLs, and 2 forced fumbles. The following year, in 2024, his sack production dipped, but that was more a function of a new D-coordinator that liked getting pressure from all positions. For example, three DBs had 12 sacks between them last year. Ahmed was every bit as impactful, though. He didn’t have another 12+ sack season but he still had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs. And he stepped up his run defense as a stronger complement.
Off the field, he’s always been a great program ambassador. Boise State has a tradition after every game–win or lose; home or away–where the players all take a lap around the field, in range of the first row of seats, so they can thank fans for coming with high fives, selfies, and autographs. For most games, I’m on the field taking photos, so I have a great vantage point of this. I’ve observed that Ahmed has always taken extra time to sign autographs for kids and he’s frequently one of the last players back into the locker room.
Goodwin: Football at the highest level is often a team of leaders, but Ahmed Hassanein takes that role to heart. He was named a team captain in 2024 and led by example in a program that highly values culture and togetherness. I don’t think I once heard Hassanein talk negatively about a teammate or person in the football program.
As a player, he’s the exact type of player that Dan Campbell wants on defense: Willing to put everything on the table for his team. Even when he’s not the one getting the stats, as he put it in 2024: “My brothers are eating. I should be happy. I should be encouraging.”
2. What specific traits or skills made Hassanein stand out from other defensive linemen at Boise State?
Johnson: When Ahmed first came to Boise State, he came in with high boom/bust potential. The fact he had moved to Egypt when he was six and forgotten English by the time he came back to the US ten years later wasn’t even as much a novelty at the time as one might think, since he was playing with a group of seven defensive linemen that spoke 8 different languages between them. Instead, what stood out was his relentlessness and his play strength. While growing up in Egypt, he had gotten into a lot of sports, but CrossFit especially. At one point, he was ranked #1 in the country and #14 in Africa for his age group. Coach Danielson likes to point to an early play from the Fiesta Bowl vs Penn State as an example of his power in run defense. He lined up across from 1st round TE, Tyler Warren. When Warren tried to block him, Ahmed knocked him back 4 yards. He’s been so strong ever since he came to Boise State, that even when his sacks didn’t show it, his stoutness and strength enabled him to still be an asset in run defense. He even lines up on the interior occasionally.
His relentlessness is evidenced by his 22 sacks in two years, because he played against a lot of mobile quarterbacks and some of those sacks required a bit of extra tenacity. Even if they slip free, he still tracks them down and finishes them off, more often than not.
Goodwin: Hassanein’s first step and speed, which help him get to the quarterback quickly, are two of his most significant assets. His team-high 12.5 sacks in 2023 were only stymied in 2024 (9.5 sacks) by an equally impressive season from edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan, creating a two-headed monster. His 115 pressures over the last two seasons are the third-most at the FBS level in that span.
He’s also got good strength and leverage in the run defense, which has allowed him to be the only FBS defensive lineman to surpass 15 tackles for loss in each of the last two seasons.
3. From your perspective, what areas of Hassanein’s game will require development in order for him to thrive at the professional level?
Johnson: Hassanein has steadily improved since he and football first became acquainted just a few short years ago. He’s come a long way since he didn’t even know “stop the other guy” doesn’t include grabbing facemasks or tripping quarterbacks (not dirty at all; just legitimately didn’t know). He worked his way from that to the aforementioned 22 sacks in his final two years. That said, the most important thing for mastery is reps. He still just doesn’t have many of those in football, in general. Because of that, he lacks developed instincts and gets by on strength and relentlessness alone. On the bright side, he’s very smart. So, with a lot more reps, he seems very capable of developing into something very useful for Detroit.
Goodwin: I’m sure Lions fans have heard by now, but Hassanein didn’t start playing football until 2019, when he was in his late teenage years. Despite being born in America, he spent most of his childhood in Egypt and didn’t even speak English when he arrived in California in 2018.
He’s got a lot of room to grow and will undoubtedly be seen as a developmental pass rusher by the Lions, spending 2025 likely looking for depth snaps and carving out a role for himself in the pass rush.
With that being said, many of his “weaknesses’ are things that a coach can develop, such as his non-traditional stance, which can contribute to an uneven distribution of weight, and his tendency sometimes to overcommit and run himself out of a play.
4. The Lions organization places a high premium on character and resilience. In what ways do you see Hassanein embodying the “gritty” culture the team is known for?
Johnson: Well… you’ve seen the “I’ll die for you, coach” video. That’s really how he is. All the time. And it’s not just artificial or substance-less hyperbole. He plays so hard and I don’t know that I’ve ever observed a player be more loyal to his teammates or his coaches. This was particularly evident in late 2023 when the previous head coach at Boise State, Andy Avalos, was fired. Aside from being a stabilizing force and helping bring the team back from statistically having a 0.1% chance to even make the championship game (let alone eventually winning it in a blowout), Ahmed also hyped up the interim coach every chance he got. That coach, who eventually got the head job, was the defensive coordinator, Spencer Danielson. There’s a number of interviews after those last few games in 2023 where he makes pronouncements as bold as “I’ll die for you, Coach,” toward Spencer, but with zero artificiality. His intensity and deep feeling for his coaches, his teammates, and doing his best come through in every interaction with him.
Goodwin: I think Lions fans have already gotten a sense of the intensity Hassanein is bringing to the Lions, starting with his Draft Day phone call, when he said, “I will die for you, coach.”
But I also often think about the moments after the Fiesta Bowl last December, when Boise State lost 31-14 to Penn State. Hassanein was in and out of the game with a leg injury, but continued to play what he could until the final down — he ended the game with six tackles, three TFLs and a sack. After the game, he was visibly limping as he came and went to the press conference.
It also shouldn’t be overlooked that Hassanein started all 28 games available to him in his final two years at Boise State.
5. Are there any standout moments, stories, or behind-the-scenes insights from Hassanein’s time in Boise that you think Lions fans would appreciate or find meaningful?
Johnson: Off the field, Ahmed’s demeanor is extremely and endlessly grateful. Coach Danielson tells a funny story where Ahmed was blown away the first time he was given a protein shake from the school. He kept saying “thank you” and Coach Danielson was just like “Yeah. You’re one of our athletes. You get…you know…nutrition.”
Also, this isn’t behind the scenes–more “connecting dots”—but it’s possible you’ve already seen Ahmed before, since he went mini-viral a few months ago. In January, after a heartbreaking loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Penn State, Ahmed, Ashton Jeanty, and a tight end (Matt Lauter) spoke to the media alongside Coach Danielson. Despite the emotions of a very tough to swallow loss still very fresh on his face, he answered a question and leaned over to conclude it by expressing gratitude to his coach one last time. He said “Coach D, you changed my life.” In this clip that got 4+ million views, he was talking specifically about Spencer Danielson’s role in his religious conversion, but in the full interview, he discusses even more of his impact on him as a person. That’s always been Ahmed. Grateful, loyal, and extremely genuine. He’s going to be an incredible fit in Dan Campbell’s locker room.
Goodwin: Hassanein has been very open about how religion has been a huge impact on his life and how he “did not know God” until he met Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson.
Hassanein opened his Fiesta Bowl press conference by giving “all glory to Jesus Christ,” and it’s clear religion has become a big part of his life since arriving at Boise State. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that mindset and devotion continue into his professional career.
On a bonus note, Hassanein also proposed to his girlfriend, Payson, shortly after being drafted.
I want to thank both Shaun and Michael for taking time out of their schedules to give us some background on Ahmed Hassanein and his amazing journey to the NFL. If Lions fans didn’t already love him before reading their responses, they surely will now.
Shaun Goodwin is a beat reporter for the Idaho Statesman , covering Boise State football and basketball. You can follow him and his coverage of the Broncos @ShaunBroncoBeat .
Michael Johnson is a writer for FirstKickWasGood , a blog site that covers Boise State football and basketball. You can follow him and his work @StackBackpack .