Ahmed Hassanein came onto the Detroit Lions roster after getting drafted in the 6th round of the 2025 NFL draft, but quickly fell off the radar for fans after injuring himself in a preseason game. He remained out for the rest of the season due to that pectoral injury, unable to ever compete for a roster spot.
But, the Lions kept him on board with a reserve/future deal, which allowed the Lions to retain his rights for the 2026 season. Now, he's back to compete for a role behind Aidan Hutchinson and potentially Derrick Moore for this season, and his ability to actually win that competition should not be overlooked.
The Boise State product, who began playing football after being a successful Cross Fit athlete in Egypt, deserves some noise as a potentially great addition to the Lions' edge rusher depth this season.
Hassanein flying under the radar ahead of training camp
Hassanein is still, essentially, learning how to play football. As noted in his draft profile written up by Lance Zierlein, he has the strength of a pass rusher but lacks the instincts you'd want to see from a seasoned edge rusher who has nailed their technique. Again, though, you can't fault Hassanein for having some rougher edges considering his experience level.
While with Boise State, he racked up the program's fourth-most sacks with 24 over his career with the team. He had an excellent 2023 college football season with 12.5 sacks, 53 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. He clearly has the ability to be a brute force for the Lions up front, but it's a matter of how coachable he can be headed into this season.
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Outside of Hutchinson and Moore, the Lions' edge rusher depth isn't looking the greatest - D.J. Wonnum is a better run-stopper than pocket disruptor, while the Lions might not be banking on getting much out of their other rookie, Tyre West, this year. Hassanein has a legitimate shot at moving up the depth chart as a result.
He also told reporters during the Lions' offseason program that he felt as good as he's ever felt in his short football career, attributing that improvement to work he's done with his new trainer.
"I've been working. I've been really working. I got a personal trainer. The guy that was one of the best I have ever trained with. He trains hard. He trains a lot of professional athletes. We got into, like the depth, really into it. His name is David Lawrence. Man, he changed my whole trajectory."
What kind of preseason would he need to have in order to shake the table that much, though? For starters, the goal for him would simply to see an NFL-caliber defender out there for Detroit. After that, seeing him manage to consistently generate pressures throughout the preseason would be another step forward for him.
It feels like a bit of a foregone conclusion that Moore will be the EDGE2 this season, but Hassanein can unseat the other Lions rookies, and potentially Wonnum, to win a roster spot as Hutchinson and Moore's backup.
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