The Detroit Lions took a significant gamble by moving up 32 spots to select Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Detroit sent the No. 102 overall pick and two future third-round picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars in order to make an aggressive climb up the draft board.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes has made 13 draft-day trades since 2021, but none of them have been as drastic as this one. TeSlaa, a Hudsonville native, is returning to his home state with significant expectations. The Lions hyped up the selection after the draft, but Lions offensive coordinator John Morton provided a sobering dose of reality after Detroit’s rookie minicamp in early May.
“So I thought he did a really good job for what we were doing,” Morton said on May 13, per Carlos Monarrez of Detroit Free Press. “It wasn't a lot, but he tried. He's taking from what he learned in the meeting room and went on the field and he was doing it.”
Lions rookie wide receiver will have to learn the nuances of NFL offenses
TeSlaa was an overlooked recruit who began his collegiate career at Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan. He transferred to Arkansas after two years, but he struggled to make much of an impact in the SEC. Last season, he slipped to fourth on the team’s depth chart as they finished the season with a middling 7-6 record. Yet, Holmes defended the selection and even called TeSlaa his “favorite wide receiver in this draft.” Still, his lack of experience in a pro-style offense will likely make him more of a developmental project than a Day 1 starter.
“I mean, as a rookie, it's tough, man,” Morton said. “Especially when you come from the college game and being a wide receiver. Some of these guys ain't been in a huddle. They haven't been in a huddle. They've gotten a signal from the sideline, they go line up. I mean it is a lot. But I can sense that — I think he will be OK. I do. And we have to be smart with rookies, especially wideouts because everything's new. I mean, they're running routes they never even ran before in their life. And they're listening for the technique and they got to read a defense. There's a lot that's going on.”
The 6-foot-4, 214-pound wide receiver worked his way onto draft boards after stellar performances at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.43 seconds and posted the fastest short-shuttle time among all wide receivers. His Relative Athletic Score of 9.93 ranked 29th out of 3,816 wide receiver prospects since 1987.
TeSlaa may not play a significant role this season, but he may be viewed as a potential replacement for wide receiver Jameson Williams, who is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract. Although the Lions exercised the fifth-year option on Williams’ deal, the speedy wideout emerged as one of the league’s premier downfield threats. He finished the 2024 season with 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns. Those are big shoes for TeSlaa to fill, but he’ll have two seasons behind Williams to adapt and pick up the nuances of NFL offenses.