Tim Twentyman

It wasn't long after starting to watch the film ofAhmed Hassaneinthat Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes knew the Boise State edge rusher would fit perfectly in Detroit.

"You get a list of all the guys that have received an invite to an All-Star game if you hadn't caught the film during the season, and so we just want to make sure that we get covered, and that's when I first started watching his tape and then that's when I was just like, 'Look, he's got some things to learn and he's got a ways to go, but you can make up a lot of things if you're playing with effort and toughness and physicality,'" Holmes said. "And he's a good athlete too, so we're excited about him."

Hassanein played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, which similar to the Senior Bowl, is one of the All-star events set up for incoming NFL draftees to help club personnel evaluate their talent and fit in the league ahead of the NFL Draft.

Hassanein was coming off a senior season at Boise State where he totaled 17 quarterback hits (third-most in the FBS) and 62 total pressures (fifth-most) while collecting 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. Hassanein stood out in the East-West Shrine Bowl, too.

He only picked up football in 2019 when he moved back to the United States after a decade of growing up in Egypt with a focus on CrossFit training. It's what Holmes meant when he said Hassanein still has some things to learn he simply hasn't been playing the game that long. But Holmes said Hassanein's physicality, toughness and motivation jumped off the tape. He knew he'd fit in Detroit and why he madeHassanein a sixth-round pick(No. 196 overall).

"We acquired him because he plays with his hair on fire, and as, let's call it developmental, as he is, he just he plays hard," Holmes said. "What do you have to do at that position? You've got to set edges and win rushes, and when I say win rushes, it's not just getting a sack, you can win rushes just by harassment and power and collapsing the pocket and just sheer effort."

That definitely jumps out on Hassanein's tape. He's relentless on the edge and there's no teaching that. A player has it or they don't. Technique, hand placement and scheme can all be taught. But a player either wants it more than the guy across from him or he doesn't, and that's something Holmes and the Lions don't have to worry about with Hassanein.

"We just liked the upside of him, we like his football character, his work ethic, his passion," Holmes said. "He was so fired up on the phone to get here, that's the type of stuff you want to hear.

"He's been one of those guys that sometimes they start off as one of the favorites and then sometimes they might drift off because you see so much and you do so much film, but he's a guy that just kept staying on the steady climb and ascension the more and more and more we watched of him. So, fired up about him."

Hassanein has a great story he's the first player drafted from Egypt after a self-described rough upbringing in the African country. He learned the game on the fly after coming back to the U.S. and willed his way to Boise State, where he made an impact.

Is there a lot he still needs to learn? Of course. But that should leave fans wondering just how high the ceiling can be for the 6-foot-2, 267-pound edge rusher once he gets to Detroit and veteran defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers gets his hands on him, and he can learn from a player likeAidan Hutchinsonin person.

"He's going to do everything he can and he's going to try to make sure that he's going to maximize every single thing that he's got in his body," Holmes said. "He's going to be very, very coachable, the kid would probably sleep in this facility if he could, that's kind of what his makeup is."

Hassanein will have a lot to learn and it will be a process through the offseason training program and the early stages of camp. He's a strong, thick edge rusher with a track record of production in FBS football, and the Lions are excited about his makeup and potential.

"Man, Super Bowl contenders, culture, family, earning everything. I couldn't ask for a better team," Hassanein said of Detroit after being drafted. "I'm so blessed and so honored, I mean, it's the perfect fit for me and I love the Detroit Lions, and I can't wait to come in and work my butt off and just help the team. Whatever they need, I'll be there."