Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein becomes first Egyptian selected in NFL Draft

Ashton Jeanty broke another record during Thursday’s first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected the prolific Boise State running back with the sixth overall pick, making Jeanty the highest-drafted Bronco in program history. 

Two days later, Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein also made NFL Draft history.

The 6-foot-2, 267-pound Hassanein became the first Egyptian to be picked in the NFL Draft when the Detroit Lions selected the defensive end in Saturday’s sixth round (196th overall). 

“There are so many things about his life that just make it an amazing story,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson recently told CNN. “But, oh man, he’s gonna get drafted because he’s gonna have a monster impact on the field in the NFL. I just want that to be known for people – you’re not only just getting a great story, you’re getting a big-time football player.”

Hassanein, who was born in the United States but grew up in Egypt, didn’t begin playing organized football until 2019. He signed with Boise State coming out of Southern California’s Loara High School and broke out during his junior season for the Broncos, recording 53 total tackles and 12.5 sacks.

As a senior, Hassanein tallied 48 total tackles and 9.5 sacks as Boise State finished 12-2 overall and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. The Broncos had 55 sacks as a team, the most in FBS.

Hassanein was also the first Egyptian to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine. He earned rave reviews for his performance on and off the field. 

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes Hassanein is an intriguing prospect. 

“(Hassanein) is a bulky 4-3 defensive end with a strong motor and impressive production but a lack of NFL-ready instincts,” Zierlein wrote. “Hassanein hasn’t played as much football as other prospects, so he’s still in the process of learning technique and developing play recognition. He comes off the ball with a narrow base but will deliver a good initial pop. The rush production is less a function of skilled play and more a function of play extension and secondary effort. He’s tough but limited and misses a lot of tackles.”

Hassanein joins a Lions defensive front that includes star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who had 7.5 sacks in five games last year before suffering a season-ending injury. 

The Detroit Lions are coming off a 15-2 regular season. 

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