What are the Detroit Lions getting in Isaac TeSlaa? We roll the tape on team's third-round pick
In an interview with 97.1-FM earlier this week, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes called third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa his favorite wide receiver in the draft class.
The love of the prospect was already apparent through what the team gave up to acquire him, sending a trio of third-rounders to Jacksonville — this year's No. 102 and two more in 2026 — for a 32-spot climb up the board to snag the toolsy receiver.
To be clear, Holmes was quick to clarify that favorite didn't mean best. Clearly some of the others in the class, including the No. 2 overall pick, Travis Hunter, are more polished products ready to contribute immediately. Regardless, TeSlaa has the intangibles Holmes covets when constructing the roster.
If you depend on media mocks to establish your draft opinions, you might believe the Lions reached for TeSlaa. A handful viewed him as a Day 2 pick, but most projected him to come off the board in the early stages of the draft's third day.
Before driving up to the team's practice facility to work the second night of the draft, I created a rough list of prospects who could be fits for the franchise between Rounds 4-7. Amusingly, TeSlaa was the first name on that list.
He checked many obvious boxes, from culture fit to potential special teams contributions to pure upside. With my investment in draft prep limited to players projected as top-100 picks prior to the combine, I admit leaning into national analysis to populate that list as the finish line neared.
It's not genuine to suggest my opinion would mirror the Lions’ had I watched TeSlaa's film before the draft. All I can do is watch it with fresh eyes, through the added lens of knowing this was Holmes' favorite receiver in the draft.
Below is a comprehensive scouting report for TeSlaa, including the games I watched, an explanation of his athletic profile, an injury history, a detailed breakdown of his skillset relative to the receiver position, capped with some concluding thoughts about how the total package will fit in Detroit.