After staying within the Power Four conferences for their first four NFL Draft picks, the Detroit Lions finally turned to the Group of Five for talent. They filled their EDGE need by selecting Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein.

Here are five things to know about Detroit’s newest pass rusher.

Hassanein became the first Egyptian-born player ever drafted into the NFL. Though he was born in the U.S., he moved to Cairo with his father when he was very young.

Amid the unrest in Egypt, Hassanein turned to physical sports like wrestling and boxing. Fighting was a part of daily life, often used as a way to stand out.

“It was tough growing up in Egypt — everything was a fight,” Hassanein said. “People fought to survive, to make themselves seen.”

Thanks to his brother’s encouragement, Ahmed returned to the U.S., where he found football. After struggling early with the sport, he made major strides and broke out during his final two years at Boise State.

In his last season as a Bronco, he served as team captain with standout running back Ashton Jeanty. Dane Brugler’s draft guide noted Hassanein’s love of working out with teammates, whom he refers to as “his brothers.”

Hassanein is just as impressive off the field. He earned Academic All-Conference honors four times, was a second-team Academic All-American as a junior, and was a Jason Witten Man of the Year finalist.

Back in 2018, as he began learning football, he studied Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald. He chose well, observing one of the best defensive players in the league.

That film study helped transform Hassanein from a “see ball, get ball” athlete into a refined defender who led Boise State in sacks and tackles for loss the past two years.

When Dan Campbell called, it was instantly clear that Hassanein fit Detroit’s culture. He told the Lions coach he would give everything for the team and asked him to believe in him.

“I will die on that field for you, coach,” Hassanein said. “I promise I will.”

Campbell, whose first press conference included talk of kneecap-biting, surely smiled hearing that. Detroit added a high-character, gritty, and intense competitor.

Speaking of grit, Hassanein played the last nine games of his junior year with a shoulder injury. It’s no surprise that Brad Holmes and the Lions prioritized a player with toughness and selflessness.

Hearing your name on Draft Day is already unforgettable, but Hassanein made the moment even more special. Soon after being picked, he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend.

This pick, Hassanein’s journey, the call from Campbell, and the proposal make him one of Detroit’s most memorable Day Three picks in recent years — possibly since Amon-Ra St. Brown. April 26, 2025, will be a day Hassanein never forgets.