Ahmed Hassanein Could Make History as First Egyptian Selected in NFL Draft: An Improbable Journey Continues

Those who know him best say Ahmed Hassanein isn’t close to reaching his full potential, even as he stands to possibly make history this weekend as the first Egyptian ever chosen in the NFL draft.

It might not be unexpected for the cornerstone of Boise State’s defensive line over the past two seasons. Indeed, the person from Cairo had zero knowledge of football when they moved to Southern California nearly seven years ago.

Now, thanks to the backing of his sibling along with the guidance from trainers at Loara High School and Boise State, Hassanein has transformed into a force within the football arena. Head coach Spencer Danielson of Boise mentions that he ranks as the finest edge rusher produced by the influential Mountain West Conference in quite some time. Beyond the playing field, Hassanein shines just as brightly.

"Given what I know about his personality, his dedication to hard work, his life story, and his personal experiences, I would stake all that I possess on him," stated his half-brother, Cory Besch.

And I believe that any squad ready to invest in him won’t merely acquire a football player; they’ll gain someone who will embody their team and culture more effectively than any other rookie in the draft. When it comes to these aspects of his abilities, I would pit them against anyone. His leadership, dedication, and the potential as an undiscovered, raw gem that continues to be unearthed make him stand out.

Projected to be a late-round pick on Saturday, Hassanein racked up 24 sacks as a Bronco, most of which came after he took over the starting edge rusher job as a junior. He was a first-team all-conference player in the 2023 and 2024 seasons and was a captain in his senior season. It’s an impressive resumé for any college player, but even more so for the still-raw Hassanein.

In less than a decade, Hassanein has moved across the world, learned English, learned football and the unique language of the sport, adjusted to the culture shocks of Orange County, California, and Boise, Idaho, converted from Islam to Christianity and found himself as a leader in the locker room, on the field and in the community.

But Danielson said teams considering picking up Hassanein in the draft ought to know he’s more than his story: He’s also a hell of a football player.

"I don't want people misinterpreting this. So, there's an incredible tale about Ahmed, correct? All the things we discussed—his personal qualities—and his journey from Egypt to California to Boise," Danielson explained. The News PulseSports “I want to make sure everyone understands: Ahmed is among the top football players in the country.”

There are countless aspects of his life that make it an incredible tale. However, let me tell you, he’s definitely going to get picked in the draft since he’ll make a huge difference on the NFL field. My hope is for everyone to understand – not only will they acquire an outstanding story, but also a top-tier football talent.

From Cairo to Orange County

Hassanein relocated to the United States from Egypt right before his sophomore year of high school, following a trip to Cairo by Besch. On this visit, Besch recognized that the half-brother whom he had not seen for ten years could potentially excel as an athlete on the football field. Besch himself was a college football player at Azusa Pacific University and later transitioned into coaching once his playing career ended, although he continued to play professionally overseas. After concluding a season with a semipro team in Austria, Besch traveled to Egypt where he discovered that his younger sibling had grown considerably both physically and age-wise.

The 15-year-old Hassanein stood at around six feet and one inch with a weight of approximately 215 pounds. He was passionate about CrossFit and had an athletic build that suggested potential success in football—a game he had neither participated in nor understood.

At that point, I had recently completed both a professional and a semi-professional season in Austria, which kept me in decent physical condition. When I trained with him and managed to keep up without struggling, and vice versa, it became clear that there was significant promise," Besch stated. "I understood how football had positively impacted my life by providing direction and an identity, as well as imparting valuable life lessons that I aimed to pass on to younger players. It was evident this experience would be advantageous for him.

I wasn't certain from the start that he would become a top prospect, but I understood that he had to leave his current situation, and I realized that football could serve as a pathway and a resource to assist him with that.

At the time, Hassanein’s domestic situation in Egypt was challenging, which caused problems both academically and personally. However, he discovered solace in working out at the gym. When Besch presented him with the opportunity—and extended this proposal to his entire family—to relocate from Egypt to Southern California, where he could switch from CrossFit training to playing on the football team, Hassanein eagerly embraced the prospect. His enthusiasm stemmed from the hope that becoming part of the defense might be his new path forward.

That marked the beginning of one of the steepest learning journeys conceivable.

He came into this place, clearly a well-built child, just as large as anyone else we had," stated Mitch Olson, who coached him at Loara. "He also possessed great athleticism. He even participated in CrossFit while in Egypt.

“When we got him out on the field, he knew nothing. He didn’t know formations, nothing. So what we did is we’re going to put him at defensive tackle. It’s the easiest, and we’ll just tell him a couple things to do. And right away, he was just so strong and just dominating. In fact, we didn’t spend as much time developing him as we should have, because we had to get other kids going.”

Constructing a soccer player – and a new beginning

Hassanein came to the United States without knowing the language, unfamiliar with the customs, and barely reconnecting with his brother, who had become his main caregiver in America.

Besch mentioned that some healing needed to occur.

“I didn’t actually know what I was getting myself into when I take my brother in. I didn’t know how difficult his struggles were. I didn’t know how difficult the language barrier was going to be. I didn’t know what it was right like to raise a 16-year-old boy. I knew what it was like to raise a 10-year-old little girl, right?” he said, referring to his daughter.

“But I didn’t know what that meant. Didn’t know how much he was going to eat. I didn’t know all of the challenges and things, but I did know that God had me there for a reason … and I knew that God’s calling on my life as a coach was purposeful.”

Hassanein put significant effort into improving both his skills in the game and in learning English. Olson mentioned that within roughly three months, Hassanein progressed from having minimal knowledge of English to comprehending conversations and communicating efficiently.

Mastering the regulations of football, however, proved to be somewhat more difficult.

We begin playing games, and in each one, he receives a 15-yard penalty because he wasn't familiar with the rules," Olson stated. "In his very first game, during what seemed like the initial drive, he yanks the quarterback's facemask and tackles him forcefully, resulting in a flag.

He stated, "In the next game, he joins the punt return team and ends up tackling someone attempting to make a tackle himself. ... We coached him extensively, but he also picked up many things on his own. However, let me tell you, by midway through his first year, it seemed as though he had been playing football for at least two or three years."

Much of that work was accomplished at home with Besch, whose furniture occasionally bore the brunt of it.

Every little aspect of the game that comes to mind, I have to explain to him," Besch stated. "This could be at the dining table or even in the kitchen. We're focusing on strategies to gain an advantage over a defender. He ends up pushing me against the cupboards. It was completely wild. Essentially, we were constantly learning with each passing moment.

Eventually, the process of learning football evolved from an excuse for a fresh start in the US to a potential career path. As he played more and worked more and learned more, Hassanein decided that football was all he wanted to do.

First, he told Besch. Then he told Olson. The goal wasn’t just to play in high school or college. The goal was the NFL.

“It means everything to him,” Besch stated. “His entire sense of self became completely tied up with football after joining us; nothing else motivated him. It’s strange since our aim wasn’t to have him focus solely on becoming a footballer, yet we understood this would inevitably happen as sports dominate much of our life. However, I never imagined he’d embrace it quite so intensely nor that it would turn into such an all-consuming passion for him.”

Clarity and confidence

The obstacles Hassanein encountered were significant. He was entirely new to the sport he aspired to compete in professionally, and his school wasn’t known for being a top football destination.

It took some time for Hassanein to grasp fully what it meant to elevate himself to the exalted levels of Division 1 football, not to mention making it into the NFL. A discussion with Besch helped him understand this realization.

He tells me he wants to become a Division I football player," Besch explained. "But when I see his level of motivation and how well he grasps what this truly entails—knowing it involves more than just workouts—I wonder.

If you're planning to behave like that kind of person, your actions should reflect in the way you conduct yourself at home, at school, clean up after yourself—basically, how you deal with responsibilities. As his brother, this was becoming frustrating for me since I noticed he wasn’t adhering to these principles.

So, I recall saying to him one day, 'Listen bro, could you help me out with something? I’ve got some homework for you.' He asked, 'What kind of task is it?' I replied, 'This is football-related homework. I want you to consider what it takes to be at the top—what actions the nation's best player performs daily? Imagine a potential Division I football recruit, and detail everything they do throughout their entire day, starting from when they wake up until they go to bed. Describe how such a person spends each moment.'

And so he followed through. He jotted down a list: waking up early, eating healthily, taking supplements, drinking water, engaging in certain activities, studying, watching movies, and many more tasks. Then I pointed out to him, 'Now take a look at the list you've created and match it with your daily routine.' How many of these items are you really accomplishing? After all, it's one thing to state them, isn’t it? But putting them into practice is entirely different since it's challenging; otherwise, everybody would be doing it.

Hassanein’s reply to that discussion was straightforward: "Okay, I understand."

Olson mentioned that since then, he has never witnessed another athlete putting in such tremendous effort. Hassanein gained approximately 20 to 25 pounds of muscle annually during his high school years, rose at 5 a.m. for training sessions, spent countless hours reviewing game footage, and honed his skills through constant practice.

I don't believe anyone else puts in as much effort, yet he isn't aware of any alternative," Olson stated. "I've never witnessed him doing something halfway; he only knows one pace. During practices, he's the player everyone resents for not going at less than full throttle. He embodies traditional values and methods—a true-blue hard worker.

Following his junior year, when the desired scholarship offers hadn’t materialized as hoped, Hassanein faced an additional challenge: the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus led to the shutdown of high school sports throughout California, and as a result, Hassanein’s chance to impress scouts—typically through summer camp tournaments where talented high school athletes often catch attention—seemed likely to vanish. Following many months of distributing videos and attempting to connect with college coaches, Hassanein and Besch eventually secured a spot at a nearby camp just half an hour from their house, providing him a platform to demonstrate his abilities.

Besch informed Hassanein that this was his greatest opportunity to get recruited, and he enthusiastically promoted his brother to everyone willing to hear, even as they were completing the forms to sign up for the camp.

I'm essentially handing him over to those people," Besch explained. "There's a scout in the back, and his interest clearly increases when I mention that this guy has only played football for two years." He added, "The player hails from Egypt, and not many know about him. In the background, the scout can be heard saying, 'That will certainly change after today,' which made me realize right away—he’s definitely catching everyone's attention with his performance.

A impressive showing at that camp against some of the state's best talents set things in motion. However, it was an established relationship from their college days along with a video of Hassanein training while wearing a mask that initiated his journey to Boise.

‘Coach, I trust you’

Danielson was the defensive line coach for Boise at the time and happened to come across a video of Hassanein on social media. When Hassanein told Besch that Danielson had sent him a message, it seemed the pieces were falling into place.

Besch and Danielson played alongside each other during their college days at Azusa Pacific University and were once close friends. Although they have drifted apart over the years, an underlying bond remained. In an attempt to reconnect with his former buddy, Besch contacted Danielson hoping to spark renewed interest in getting to know his brother.

"He was sending me clips of himself essentially in a garage, doing pass rushes and making tackles," Danielson mentioned about Besch.

The coach stayed doubtful. Despite Besch being a terrific player, his build resembled more of a smallish slot receiver rather than a typical defensive end.

You might hear he's 6'3" and 215 pounds, but then you wonder, is it true?" Danielson remarked. "When you see him standing beside a doorway, you can’t help but try to gauge his actual size.

Besch attempted to persuade his half-brother to choose Boise over other interested institutions, but a simple online visit turned out to be sufficient for Hassanein to commit to heading to Idaho, with campus visits being prohibited because of COVID-19 restrictions.

During a virtual meeting with Danielson, Hassanein made up his mind to commit. He kept this from Besch, and it appeared quite sudden.

"Just as typical for Ahmed, he stated, 'Coach, I have confidence in you. I am not familiar with Boise, Idaho, and I must admit I'm not well-versed in football either. However, I trust that you will guide me to achieve my fullest potential,' " Danielson recounted.

The anxiety surrounding Hassanein's true size—whether he genuinely stood at an impressive six-foot-three while his brother was nearly half a foot shorter—lingered within the Boise defensive coaching staff throughout.

I knew exactly when he was supposed to arrive, so my whole team and I were all set to watch his arrival and confirm whether he stood at 6'3"," Danielson stated. "We thought, 'Don't let him be only 5'11," as in, have we been tricked? Then he steps out of the vehicle looking like a Greek deity. So I thought, 'Yes, everything’s perfect here.'

For Besch, it was a period filled with conflicting feelings—he was elated for his brother yet realized it wasn’t his turn anymore to serve as Hassanein’s personal coach. He needed to rely on the team at Boise to continue fostering his growth. Still, he felt confident that Hassanein would be well taken care of.

"Realizing that Spencer was the right individual made a huge difference for me since I understood that if there was anyone I could rely on to not only nurture his growth as a football player but also shape his character positively...I knew he would turn out to be a good influence under Spencer Danielson," he stated.

Breaking out

Following his debut as a genuine freshman—marking him as the inaugural Egyptian player in FBS history—and participating in 12 games during his sophomore year as a backup, Hassanein had his moment to shine when he became a starter as a junior at Boise. He grabbed this opportunity with great enthusiasm.

He had a standout first-team All-Mountain West Conference season, placing fifth in the FBS with 12.5 sacks, recording 53 total tackles which included 16.5 for loss, along with forcing two fumbles.

This was the instant everyone near him had anticipated.

"During his junior year, there was plenty of skill visible, yet he came across as quite an impersonal individual—a people-pleaser simply following orders," remarked Erik Chinander, who assumed the role of defensive line coach for Boise towards the end of 2022.

And sometime during that training camp leading up to his junior year, around the time he had his breakthrough season, you noticed him ceasing to overthink and starting to play with greater freedom. He began capitalizing on opportunities as they arose rather than strictly following what he was taught or adhering rigidly to the playbook.

Olson noticed the difference when he traveled over four hours to attend Boise's match against Fresno State in the 2023 season. After the game, Olson stayed behind to meet Hassanein near the locker room entrance. The demeanor of Hassanein’s fellow players indicated that an extraordinary event had transpired.

Olson mentioned, "The team treated him like their leader." He also shared, "I contacted his brother, who was in Boise at the time. I told Cory, 'Cory, I was waiting outside the locker room, and without noticing me, I observed how the others were interacting with him.' And I added, 'He truly is the leader here.'"

For Besch, the 2023 season marked the culmination of all the effort he and his brother had put into their kitchen technique sessions. The result, though not yet fully refined, was beginning to shine like a star.

A whole year went by before he grasped that his brother genuinely had a strong prospect of turning pro, as he continued to excel despite opponents intensively strategizing against Hassanein.

I understood that, as a football coach, having a standout season is fantastic, yet the following year becomes significantly tougher since each opposing coach will meticulously plan strategies against you," he explained. "You’ll receive intense focus, face numerous double-teams, and encounter constant pressure, and you must still deliver performances if you wish to succeed, considering we're talking about Boise State here. There’s no room for an off-year; instead, you should aim for around eight or nine sacks and keep improving, otherwise, you risk falling behind.

And once he began, even with a bag in Oregon at the start of the game. It's as though if you're managing against those players, then you can handle anyone.

The output on the field stemmed from his remarkable dedication to the sport when not playing. Hassanein gained recognition throughout Boise as one of the most diligent members of the squad, a person committed to improving daily and merely appreciative of the chance to compete.

"He invests a lot of time, not just arriving at the facility early to prepare physically and ensure proper nutrition, but also consistently spending hours in the film room," Chinander stated.

And this isn’t just idle activity for him. When he gets involved, he comes over to seek our input and asks genuine questions. His several notebooks are brimming with insights gleaned from the head coach, from me, and from Coach Jabril Frazier. One must tread carefully around Ahmed—because everything you tell him ends up written down verbatim. Therefore, you have to think twice about how you express yourself since whatever leaves your mouth lands directly into his notes.

Danielson described him as "the most appreciative young man you'll ever meet," someone who consistently thanked the coaching staff following intense practices, brought coffee for the team’s support personnel, and always treated those around him with utmost respect.

“With his soccer skills and natural ability, I believe he has what it takes to become an enduring professional in the NFL,” Danielson stated. “Moreover, upon joining an NFL team, he will instantly transform their team dynamics due to his gratitude and amiable nature as a teammate.”

There is substantial room for growth.

What draft analysts say about Hassanein is that he remains quite an unpolished player, not someone who will immediately dominate NFL defensive lines from day one.

However, people who know him well suggest that with a few more years under his belt, he could potentially become one of the top edge rushers in football.

He will likely be someone selected during this week’s drafts," explained Chinander, "who might not initially match up against others in terms of starting positions. However, after drafting him and guiding him through the beginning stages of his professional journey, we can expect significant improvement over time. His current skill set doesn’t come close to reflecting how far he could progress before concluding an impressive NFL tenure.

Besch, who knows him best, thinks his half-brother has achieved roughly 70% of his potential.

The real key to understanding the draft lies in recognizing individual potential," Besch explained honestly. "As both a football coach and his brother, observing his current state leads me to believe he has reached about 70 percent of what he can achieve. Combining this talent with teachability, unyielding work ethic, drive, and ambition for growth—if these qualities are handed over to an NFL coach committed to nurturing them—there’s simply no telling how far he could go.

As the draft commenced on Thursday, NFL scouts and executives are fully acquainted with all the potential newcomers who might join their teams for training camp this summer.

However, if they required one last persuasive argument from Danielson, he’s glad to provide it.

“Achmed can adapt to whatever defensive scheme you prefer,” he stated. “He has what it takes to excel as a down lineman who plays all four downs, and also fits perfectly as an outside linebacker within the 3-4 system. This versatility isn’t common. Over my tenure of nine years here, we've produced numerous standout pass rushers at the professional level, including some of the nation's finest units. Among them, Ahmed stands out as our most exceptional edge player—someone who excels against both runs and passes with equal ferocity.”

And I'd encourage everyone to check out the Oregon versus Penn State game. Pay attention to the nation’s top tight end going up against Ahmed. Really, just observe the match.

When Hassanein becomes the first Egyptian ever selected for the NFL draft, an achievement he'll cherish deeply, according to Chinander, it will mark the end of a lengthy and unforeseen path that Hassanein has traveled solo yet resonates profoundly among countless others who have felt personally connected to his progress.

Olson, the high school football coach who has coached for 34 years and considers Hassanein one of the finest young men he has encountered, admits that seeing his ex-player thrive on the field brings him to tears.

That’s why I feel deeply moved. It’s simply because I am incredibly thrilled for him. He has put in immense effort. Often enough, this hard work goes unnoticed," Olson stated. "Many times, people do not witness others enjoying the rewards of their labor. Hopefully, he will – regardless of whether he gets drafted or not – someone will notice him and give him a chance based purely on who he is as an individual.

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