BOISE, Idaho — Boise State defensive end Ahmed Hassanein made history Saturday when the Detroit Lions drafted him with the 196th overall selection in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, becoming the first Egyptian player ever selected in the league’s annual talent selection process.

The standout pass rusher, who racked up numerous accolades during his collegiate career, earned All-Mountain West first team honors twice and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America second team in 2023. During his final season with the Broncos, Hassanein received College Football Network All-America honorable mention recognition and was among the finalists for the prestigious Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award.

Throughout his time at Boise State, Hassanein appeared in 48 games and recorded an impressive 24.0 sacks, placing him fourth in school history. The defensive captain’s final collegiate campaign in 2024 showcased his disruptive presence, as he accumulated 9.5 sacks (third in Mountain West, tied for 16th nationally) and 15.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (tied for third in conference, 17th in FBS). 

His ability to harass opposing quarterbacks was unmatched in the Mountain West, where he led all defenders with 17 quarterback hits and 62 total pressures, figures that ranked third and fifth, respectively, among all FBS players.

Hassanein is the 74th player all-time to be drafted to the NFL out of Boise State and 45th since 2000. He was the fourth MW player drafted this year, joining teammate Ashton Jeanty, as well as Tory Horton (Colorado State) and Jalen Royals (Utah State). He is the fifth Boise State player drafted by the Lions.