By Blessing 
Lions Rookie Ahmed Hassanein Already Benefiting from Elite Mentorship in Aidan Hutchinson
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As training camp heats up for the Detroit Lions, it’s becoming clear that rookie defensive end Ahmed Hassanein might be one of the more intriguing stories to follow—and not just because of his unique background. Hassanein is already turning heads, not just with his effort and raw potential, but with the support he’s receiving from one of the league’s top defenders: Aidan Hutchinson.
With Levi Onwuzurike sidelined, the Lions are trying to sort out depth along the defensive line, and Hassanein is making a strong case to become part of that rotation. The sixth-round draft pick out of Boise State has had a remarkable journey to get here. Originally from Egypt, Hassanein was one of his country’s top CrossFit athletes before switching gears to pursue American football. After moving to the U.S., he played four years of Division I football, eventually earning his shot at the NFL.
Now, he finds himself in one of football’s toughest divisions—and he’s sharing a locker room with Hutchinson, a player many believe could’ve led the league in sacks last season had he not suffered a major injury. Hassanein is soaking it all in.
“It’s such a blessing, you know?” Hassanein said at camp. “Aidan was the guy where I was like, ‘okay, I want to steal some of his moves, a little bit.’ When he swings inside and goes to make a tackle, he plays free. I try to play free, I want to play free, you know? I just want to take the pressure off of me.”
Hassanein’s admiration for Hutchinson is clear, and the rookie isn’t shy about sharing how much he’s learned from watching his teammate.
“Learning from Aidan, though, I remember I was like sneaking inside, sneaking outside, and I’m coming off the field and he goes, ‘hey bro, stop studying my tape!’ And I’m like, I’m just trying to be like you, bro,” Hassanein recalled, smiling. “When I came off the field, he was like ‘good job, man,’ and I was like, I just wanna hug you. And he was like, what? [laughs] But, I was just like, I look up to you so much. He’s an amazing dude, and I can’t wait to keep learning and keep stacking and keep growing.”
Meanwhile, Hutchinson himself looks locked in at camp. Despite coming off a serious leg injury—a broken tibia and fibula—he seems to have bounced back even stronger, which is a promising sign for Detroit’s defense.
“It takes those physical things to happen to you to mentally kind of solidify where you are at and the confidence and moving past it,” Hutchinson said during camp, according to team insider Tim Twentyman.
That mental and physical resilience is exactly what makes Hutchinson the ideal mentor for a player like Hassanein, who’s still learning the nuances of the NFL game.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard sees the spark in Hassanein but is also quick to keep expectations grounded.
“He’s everything we’re about here,” Sheppard said. “Like I said, it’s just that development piece, the learning curve. This guy’s a rookie. He just started playing football a few years ago. He just started learning the freaking English language six, seven years ago. So let’s not turn this guy into Lawrence Taylor. He’s on a developmental swing, but he’s been afforded the opportunity to work with one of the best, if not the best in the league in my opinion, in Kacy Rogers. I’m already seeing it. I saw it in the spring. That guy’s all there. Whatever his potential is, he’ll reach it because he’s gonna work at it.”
Hassanein brings explosive athleticism to the table, but coaches are working with him on technique, awareness, and adjusting to the speed of the NFL. His reps in the preseason will be valuable as he adapts to pro-level competition.
If early signs are any indication, the rookie’s growth curve could be steeper than expected—especially with Hutchinson leading by example. Lions fans should be watching closely. There’s a quiet buzz building around this late-round gem and the veteran who’s helping him shine.