ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Ahmed Hassanein remembers the days of learning how to play football in his half-brother’s small kitchen in California.
The 6-foot-2, 267-pound former Boise State defensive end, who was the first Egyptian drafted into the NFL last month by Detroit, created a new memory Friday by taking snaps at the Lions rookie minicamp.
“I’m just so grateful, so honored to be here,” Hassanein said. “It’s kind of like doesn’t feel real. It’s like I don’t want to leave the field. I love it. The coaching, my teammates, just the competitiveness, it’s been great. And I’m just looking forward to tomorrow and just take it day by day.”
Hassanein, who was selected in the sixth round with the 196th pick, said one of the biggest moments he’s had since arriving at minicamp was meeting coach Dan Campbell. When he was drafted, an exuberant Hassanein proclaimed, “ I would die for that guy. I would run through a wall for him like I ran through a wall for Coach D (Boise State coach Spencer Danielson).”
As he came out to the practice field, the two finally met and shook hands.
“It kind of feels unreal,” he said. “He’s an awesome guy. I’m just looking forward to learn from him off the field and on the field.”
It is hoped that Hassanein will help fill the edge rusher hole that the Lions have opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
“I’ll say about Ahmed is he’s relentless,” Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew said Friday. “He plays the game the way we like to play. He plays it hard. He’s a second-effort rusher. He can win with hands as a rusher. … And I think when (defensive line ) coach (Kacy) Rodgers get his hands on him to coach him up, the kid’s going to be a good player for us. So we’re excited about him.”
To live up to the Lions’ hopes, Hassanein knows he has a lot of work ahead of him and is ready for the challenge.
“I look for hardships,” he said. “I want to get better at stuff. I want to because I don’t want to take the easy way out. I want to earn everything. I don’t want nothing to be given to me.”
Hassanein, who moved to California in 2018 from Cairo, Egypt, said he has been surprised by the outpouring of attention that he’s been receiving from Egyptians.
“Man, it’s being the first Egyptian you’re talking about culture and teams,” he said. “People look out to me. I get texts all the time that people just want to be like me, inspired to be like me. I’m just so grateful and so honored that Jesus pulled me in this position. I mean, I’m gonna give it all I got.”
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