As we approach the middle of May, predicting which players will or will not make the Detroit Lions’ initial roster is a lofty task. However, something that is inevitable is a player or two capturing the hearts of fans over the course of training camp.
The Lions are no strangers to training camp darlings. Some of them, such as Tom Kennedy, have managed to stick around for numerous seasons. Inversely, many of them—Kalil Pimpleton or Ian Kennelly, to name a few—fail to make the team and wind up bouncing
around the NFL or other professional leagues. The path to an NFL team is tough.
Which Lions players could impress enough in training camp to garner attention and affection from the fans?
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Detroit Lions player will be a training camp darling?
My answer: Ahmed Hassanein.
I was tempted to pick Skyler Gill-Howard, as the rookie brings some pass rushing pop and an inspiring backstory—an easy combination to root for. However, there is another player in a similar vein that some fans may have forgotten about: Ahmed Hassanein.
The 2025 sixth-round pick was an immediate favorite during last year’s training camp and preseason. Hassanein was always going to be a long-term project, and his game was far from polished, but his level of energy and ferocity was unmatched. He had a stellar preseason debut against the Los Angeles Chargers in which he finished as the highest-rated Lions defender by PFF. His follow-up performance against the Atlanta Falcons was a modest step back, but overall, still a positive showing for a player that was still developing.
Unfortunately, a pectoral injury would end his preseason and Detroit, perhaps surprisingly, waived the rookie with an injury settlement. The move ultimately worked out for both parties, as he went unclaimed on waivers and, after recovering from his injury, joined the practice squad in mid-November.
While there was some excitement regarding his re-signing, it has likely died down as we approach a calendar year since his last time on a football field. Many people may be more intrigued by the “new toys” acquired by the Lions this offseason, such as veteran DJ Wonnum, second-round pick Derrick Moore, or even an undrafted rookie like Anthony Lucas. However, Hassanein should not be forgotten—and I imagine he will make a statement in training camp fairly quickly.
Thanks to the acquisitions of Wonnum and Moore, the Lions are no longer in dire need of edge help across from Aidan Hutchinson, but Hassanein still has a good shot of making an impact in a depth role. Once people see him in pads giving 110-percent effort, I think everyone will remember why we were excited for him last year.
