The Detroit Lions' selection of Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft raised some eyebrows, but he was still regarded by many as an early second-round talent. Picking Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa in the third round, however, was much more polarizing.
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Despite being regarded by many as a player who was worthy of a fifth or sixth-round selection in the NFL Draft, Brad Holmes traded up to No. 70 overall to acquire the former Razorbacks standout. TeSlaa should use his size and speed to make this offense even more vertical.
Now that the dust has settled on the draft, and fans continue to wonder if the TeSlaa pick was worth it. Holmes has defended this pick vigorously in the last few days, and his conviction is only getting stronger as time goes on. He believes fully in TeSlaa's ability to contribute to this offense.
"The pick that was probably the most questioned, I would say, was Isaac TeSlaa," Holmes said, per the Detroit News. "I can say that he was my favorite wide receiver in this draft. I'm not saying he was the best wide receiver in the draft. But favorite wide receiver in the draft? Yes."
Brad Holmes continues defending Lions' Isaac TeSlaa pick
TeSlaa caught just 28 passes last year for 546 yards and three touchdowns. Despite 6-4 teammate Andrew Armstrong catching 78 passes for 1,100 yards, he went undrafted while TeSlaa was a Day 2 pick thanks to the former's superior athletic traits enticing Holmes.
TeSlaa and a 4.43 40-yard dash at 6-3 and 214 pounds, which is exceptional for someone his size. With a nearly 40-inch vertical jump and extremely impressive agility times, TeSlaa's 9.97 RAS score ranked 11th among over 3,400 qualified receivers in the database. No wonder Holmes took a chance on him.
TeSlaa is currently scheduled to compete for the WR4 role behind established starters Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Tim Patrick. However, if new OC John Morton can get the most out of him, TeSlaa may end up overtaking the veteran Patrick on the depth chart relatively soon.
The Lions' passing game, even without Ben Johnson, should be exciting enough to put TeSlaa in a position to succeed in his rookie season. His physical traits are rare, and he might just need a team like the Lions to get the most out of him early in his career.
