ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The initials H.W.S. were crossed out on a black sweatshirt of Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes as he addressed the media following Day 2 of the NFL draft.
Although selecting an edge rusher was viewed among Detroit's top needs entering the three-day event, Holmes, through his wardrobe, was making it clear what he prioritized when making his picks -- and it wasn't going overboard based on positional need.
"Height, Weight, Speed -- it is the opposite of film evaluation, and we're all about film evaluation, and that's the hard part of scouting," Holmes said Friday. "Height, weight (and) speed is easy. Stats are easy. A position listed is easy. But film evaluation is hard to figure out."
This year's draft class was viewed as a deep one for defensive ends, but Detroit didn't land one until Day 3 when they selected Boise State's Ahmed Hassanein -- the first Egyptian ever chosen in the NFL draft -- in the sixth round.
At pick No. 196, Holmes said they landed on Hassanein because he "plays with his hair on fire" with his effort and toughness.
He also attracted them with his ability to set edges and win on pass rushes, not only with sacks, but his overall harassment and relentless drive. From 2023-24, Hassanein's 33.5 tackles for loss were the most in the FBS. His 22 sacks in that span also ranked second in the FBS behind Antwaun Powell-Ryland (25.5).
Hassanein's fiery personality was on display when he received his draft day call. The emotional lineman told head coach Dan Campbell he would "die on that field" for him because wants him to believe in him.
"I never stop. I am always going. I am always willing to learn. I never settle. When you teach me something, I'll go 100 miles per hour every snap, every play. I will never settle," Hassanein said. "That's just who I am. I am ready to die on the football field because he believes in me. I truly feel that.
"Just the consistency and the growth and the physicality that I bring, I never stop. Offensive linemen hate going against me just because I keep going after them every play, every play, every play, even if I get blocked. I get back up and do it again, do it again, do it again because that's who I am."
Hassanein is viewed as a development piece that the Lions will pair with Pro Bowl player Aidan Hutchinson and veteran Marcus Davenport, who are both returning from season-ending injuries. However, he isn't the splash pick that some were hoping for the Lions to land with so many opportunities to get an edge sooner. The Lions were one of two teams, along with the Arizona Cardinals, that didn't have multiple players with at least five sacks last season.
Instead, Detroit used its first-round pick to draft Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, who is expected to fill in for starting defensive tackle Alim McNeill as he recovers from a torn ACL that ended his season last year. McNeill could miss the beginning of 2025.
Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson likened Williams' movement and athleticism to former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald -- one of the league's all-time greats.
"I'm a big fan of Aaron Donald, the ability to move his body so quickly," Johnson said. "Aaron's probably not as heavy as Tyleik but just the movement, skill set, being able to move and change direction, I think Tyleik does it really well."
Overall, the Lions feel they came away with a strong crop of players with the ability to contribute immediately on both sides of the ball.
They traded up to land Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge in Round 2 then picked LSU guard Miles Frazier in the fifth round after losing veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, who signed with Tennessee in free agency, to bring youth to their O-line.
Check out some of the top highlights from Georgia's Tate Ratledge.
Holmes also traded up from No. 102 to No. 70 to take Arkansas receiver Isaac TeSlaa and used his final two selections on Georgia safety Dan Jackson and Georgia receiver Dominic Lovett in the seventh round.
For the fans who might not understand this year's selections, Holmes maintained confidence in his process. Since 2021, the Lions have drafted six players under Holmes who have been selected to a Pro Bowl, which is the most in NFL in that span.
"I understand that fans and people on the outside of this building, they naturally have reactions, and they'll have comments, thoughts about the decisions that we make," Holmes said following Day 3. "And I think the tough part about it is that the people on the outside, they have very limited information about the decisions that we make, and we have all the information which goes into that decision.
"Also, not just the information that's available, but also the work that we have to put into it. The people, let's say the fans or the media or anybody, I don't think that someone's watching hours and hours and hours of film. I wouldn't expect them to. They probably have a job. That takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of time, it's a lot of strain. That's the hard part."