Five Things to Know About New Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa

On Friday, the Detroit Lions elected to move up for both their selections, with the latter being that of Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa. TeSlaa becomes the newest face in the receiver room for the Lions, which was a position that Brad Holmes identified as one in need of a fresh face during the lead up to the Draft.

Here are five things to know about TeSlaa.

He has Ford Field experience

Unlike most of his draft classmates, TeSlaa will not experience his first game at Ford Field during the NFL Preseason. As a junior in high school, TeSlaa split time between tight end and quarterback for Unity Christian. He led them to the 2018 Division 5 state title game, played at Ford Field.

In case you are wondering, his Ford Field debut went well, with Unity Christian winning 42-7. TeSlaa accounted for three touchdowns that night. On defense, he also added two interceptions. 

The hard way to the NFL

TeSlaa was predominately a quarterback in high school, running the Wing T offense. Out of high school, the only Division One offer for TeSlaa was Valparaiso University. 

He elected to bet on himself, sticking close to home and following his father’s footsteps, heading to Division II Hillsdale College. His father, Mark, was Hillsdale Football's MVP in 1996.

After being moved to receiver, TeSlaa unlocked his athleticism and dominated his competition. After a solid redshirt freshman campaign, he broke out with 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022. As a result, he was a top commodity upon entering the transfer portal following the season.

He went down south to Arkansas, and added in nearly 900 yards and five touchdowns in his two seasons with the Razorbacks. When it came time to prepare for the Draft, TeSlaa returned to his roots, working out at Unity Christian in the week leading to this moment.

Nothing has been earned for the receiver, and he will be taking that mentality with him to the Lions. 

Athletic since the start

As is the case for most Brad Holmes draft picks, TeSlaa is highly athletic, with his RAS (Relative Athletic Score) of 9.93 being a top-30 score among the nearly 4,000 receivers since 1987. One close RAS score is former Michigan great Braylon Edwards, who had a 9.96 RAS in 2005. 

In part, that comes from TeSlaa’s background. He won two state titles in three sports while at Unity Christian, winning the aforementioned football championship, and adding a basketball state title as well. In his “weak” sport, track, he won a regional title for long jump and set a school record.

Lifelong Lions fan turned player

TeSlaa, being a native from the west side of the state, has been a fan of the Lions since birth. The receiver showed up to his top-30 visit in Detroit in a childhood Lions jersey, and was in attendance when Calvin Johnson set the receiving yardage record. 

Now, the Arkansas product will be chasing Johnson’s totals in the Honolulu Blue. 

Self-Described Gritty Player

As it seems to be the case each time Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell select a player, the Lions’ organization finds the “gritty” players. TeSlaa is no different. On top of the hard way to the league, the receiver called himself a gritty player. He will not back down from the challenges or shy away from special teams and the elements of the game. 

“A gritty player, someone who loves the game who’s not afraid to do all the dirty work. Outside of that, I’m just a ball player,” TeSlaa explained. “Whatever needs to be done, I’ll do it, whether that’s on offense or on special teams, I’m going to find a role, watch film, learn the entire playbook, get better every single day, and just lock in to what the coaches want from me.”

TeSlaa gets to stay close to home, and lock in on receivers coach Scottie Montgomery’s teaching