CANTON, OHIO — Ahmed Hassanein had a productive NFL debut for the Detroit Lions, standing as one of the few bright spots in the preseason-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.<\/p>\n
Pro Football Focus thought so, too, ranking the sixth-round rookie edge defender as the team\u2019s highest-rated defensive player. Hassanein played 20 defensive snaps and another 12 on special teams, finishing with four tackles and one pressure.<\/p>\n
It was an impressive first taste of the NFL for such a raw prospect who is new to the game. However, one thing is clear: Hassanein has a high motor, the right mentality about trying to improve, and is living out a \u201csurreal\u201d dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so grateful and just honored to just be in this building and in this position,\u201d Hassanein said after the game. \u201cI know we didn\u2019t do what we wanted to, but there is a lot to learn from. It felt good. It felt really good to be out there. It was almost disbelief for me. I cried at the beginning of the game. Just because I couldn\u2019t believe someone like me that came so far and to just be here and to soak this moment in and, man, just looking at the field. I\u2019m like, \u2018Wow, I\u2019m really playing an NFL football game.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Hassanein grew up in Cairo, Egypt, and moved to the United States in 2018, starting his football journey in 2019. He\u2019s new to the game. He\u2019s new to the English language. He\u2019s new to the Lions and the NFL. However, it\u2019s easy to see the vision with a high-motor player who wants it, and as someone who continues to improve.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been hard to get a feel for what, if any, type of role he might play this season based on his raw ability. But with some lingering depth questions on the edge, more showings like this one could earn him some chances.<\/p>\n
For now, he\u2019s learning special teams, finding his place on the defense and soaking every moment on the field in with gratitude.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, just somebody that came and only played football for a short time, I\u2019ve been through a lot in life, you know?\u201d Hassanein said. \u201cI called my dad. I always call my dad at the beginning of the game, and man, it\u2019s kind of crazy that I have the NFL logo (on my chest). Before every game, I call him, and it\u2019s like Boise State before every game; we pray together. I call my wife and we pray together.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of unreal to me. I Facetimed him, and you can see the NFL logo, and I was like, \u2018Dad, we\u2019re here. We\u2019re here … \u2018 I\u2019m so grateful to be here. I just want to keep improving.\u201d <\/p>\n
Hassanein said what he felt he did best was his run defense. And PFF credited him with three run stops, second on the team behind only linebacker Anthony Pittman (five) and tied with Grant Stuard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really liked how I stopped the run,\u201d the rookie said. \u201cAnd just attacking and doing my job. I just want to keep growing. I almost got my first sack, but he slipped away from me, and I almost got there again in the backfield. But the pass was just so fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing that I\u2019m proud of, that I\u2019m playing free. I\u2019m not thinking about mistakes. And I just want to grow. I want to learn. I want the game-to-game experience. I was talking to Aidan (Hutchinson), and I was like, \u2018Hey, what do you see? What do you know? What do you want me to do?\u2019 And my coach, too. \u2018Hey, coach, what do you want me to do here?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
See below for more on the PFF grades and rundown of the snap counts: <\/p>\n
Five highest-graded defenders (with at least 10 snaps): EDGE Ahmed Hassanein (85.7), EDGE Nate Lynn (84.9), CB Rock Ya-Sin (75.3), S Ian Kennelly (71.6), DL Myles Adams (69.3) <\/p>\n
Five-lowest graded defenders (with at least 10 snaps): CB Dicaprio Bootle (30.0), CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (38.1), LB Ezekiel Turner (38.8), EDGE Mitchell Agude (40.6), LB Trevor Nowaske (41.3) <\/p>\n
Five highest-graded offensive players (with at least 10 snaps): OT Dan Skipper (81.3), OG Kayode Awosika (79.7), OL Colby Sorsdal (74.2), WR Isaac TeSlaa (71.5), OG Netane Muti (69.8) <\/p>\n
Five lowest-graded offensive players (with at least 10 snaps): QB Hendon Hooker (32.2), TE Shane Zylstra (36.3), C Kingsley Eguakun (43.5), OL Michael Niese (43.7), QB Kyle Allen (47.9) <\/p>\n
OFFENSE<\/p>\n
WR Dominic Lovett — 36 (68%) <\/p>\n
WR Isaac TeSlaa — 32 (60%) <\/p>\n
OT Jamarco Jones — 32 (60%) <\/p>\n
C Kingsley Eguakun — 32 (60%) <\/p>\n
QB Kyle Allen — 32 (60%) <\/p>\n
OG Netane Muti — 32 (60%) <\/p>\n
TE Kenny Yeboah — 29 (55%)<\/p>\n
OG Kayode Awosika — 29 (55%) <\/p>\n
OL Dan Skipper — 29 (55%) <\/p>\n
WR Tom Kennedy — 26 (49%) <\/p>\n
RB Jabari Small — 25 (47%) <\/p>\n
OL Giovanni Manu — 24 (45%) <\/p>\n
OL Colby Sorsdal — 24 (45%) <\/p>\n
RB Craig Reynolds — 23 (43%) <\/p>\n
WR Jackson Meeks — 22 (42%) <\/p>\n
TE Zach Horton — 22 (42%) <\/p>\n
C Trystan Colon — 21 (40%) <\/p>\n
OL Mason Miller — 21 (40%) <\/p>\n
OL Michael Niese — 21 (40%) <\/p>\n
QB Hendon Hooker — 21 (40%) <\/p>\n
TE Shane Zylstra — 19 (36%) <\/p>\n
WR Jakobie Keeney-James — 11 (21%) <\/p>\n
WR Malik Taylor — 10 (19%) <\/p>\n
WR Ronnie Bell — 5 (9%) <\/p>\n
RB Jacob Saylors — 5 (9%) <\/p>\n
DEFENSE <\/p>\n
LB Ezekiel Turner — 47 (73%) <\/p>\n
LB Anthony Pittman — 44 (69%) <\/p>\n
DL Keith Cooper — 38 (59%) <\/p>\n
S Dan Jackson — 36 (56%) <\/p>\n
CB Dicaprio Bootle — 36 (56%) <\/p>\n
CB Tyson Russell — 36 (56%) <\/p>\n
DL Myles Adams — 36 (56%) <\/p>\n
EDGE Nate Lynn — 33 (52%) <\/p>\n
LB Trevor Nowaske — 29 (45%) <\/p>\n
DB Erick Hallett — 29 (45%) <\/p>\n
S Ian Kennelly — 29 (45%) <\/p>\n
CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. — 28 (44%) <\/p>\n
S Loren Strickland — 28 (44%) <\/p>\n
DL Chris Smith — 27 (42%) <\/p>\n
EDGE Isaac Ukwu — 24 (38%) <\/p>\n
DL Raequan Williams — 22 (34%) <\/p>\n
EDGE Ahmed Hassanein — 20 (31%) <\/p>\n
S Morice Norris — 18 (28%) <\/p>\n
CB Rock Ya-Sin — 17 (27%) <\/p>\n
LB Grant Stuard — 17 (27%) <\/p>\n
CB Nick Whiteside — 17 (27%) <\/p>\n
LB Zach Cunningham — 17 (27%) <\/p>\n
DB Avonte Maddox — 17 (27%) <\/p>\n
EDGE Mitchell Agude –16 (25%) <\/p>\n
EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad — 14 (22%) <\/p>\n
DL Pat O\u2019Connor — 14 (22%) <\/p>\n
DL Brodric Martin — 12 (19%)<\/p>\n
LB DaRon Gilbert — 3 (5%) <\/p>\n
SPECIAL TEAMS<\/p>\n
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. — 15 (62%)<\/p>\n
Trevor Nowaske — 14 (58%) <\/p>\n
Morice Norris — 14 (58%) <\/p>\n
Anthony Pittman — 14 (58%) <\/p>\n
Rock Ya-Sin — 13 (54%) <\/p>\n
Dan Jackson — 13 (54%) <\/p>\n
Ahmed Hassanein — 12 (50%) <\/p>\n
Grant Stuard — 12 (50%) <\/p>\n
Dominic Lovett — 10 (42%) <\/p>\n
Isaac TeSlaa — 9 (38%) <\/p>\n
Chris Smith — 7 (29%) <\/p>\n
Loren Strickland — 7 (29%) <\/p>\n
Keith Cooper — 7 (29%) <\/p>\n
Ezekiel Turner — 7 (29%) <\/p>\n
Kenny Yeboah — 7 (29%) <\/p>\n
Mitchell Agude — 6 (25%) <\/p>\n
Shane Zylstra — 6 (25%) <\/p>\n
Jackson Meeks — 6 (25%) <\/p>\n
LS Hogan Hatten — 5 (21%) <\/p>\n
P Jack Fox — 5 (21%)<\/p>\n
Isaac Ukwu — 5 (21%) <\/p>\n
Malik Taylor — 5 (21%) <\/p>\n
Jakobie Keeney-James — 5 (21%) <\/p>\n
Al-Quadin Muhammad — 4 (17%) <\/p>\n
Erick Hallett — 4 (17%) <\/p>\n
K Jake Bates — 3 (21%) <\/p>\n
Nick Whiteside — 3 (12%) <\/p>\n
Tyson Russell — 3 (12%) <\/p>\n
Dicaprio Bootle — 3 (12%) <\/p>\n
Zach Horton — 3 (12%) <\/p>\n
Avonte Maddox — 2 (8%) <\/p>\n
Craig Reynolds — 2 (8%) <\/p>\n
Zach Cunningham — 2 (8%) <\/p>\n
Nate Lynn — 2 (8%) <\/p>\n
Ronnie Bell — 2 (8%) <\/p>\n
Trystan Colon — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
Colby Sorsdal — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
Giovanni Manu — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
Kayode Awosika — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
Kingsley Eguakun — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
Jamarco Jones — 1 (4%) <\/p>\n
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