All Lions

Film Review: What Lions Are Getting in New WR Isaac TeSlaa

How TeSlaa will help Lions' offense in 2025 and beyond.
Christian Booher|
Arkansas wideout Isaac Teslaa (WO41).
Arkansas wideout Isaac Teslaa (WO41). | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this story:

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions showed a great desire to get Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, trading up 32 spots to select him in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Detroit had expressed a desire to get younger at the wide receiver position in the draft, and they did just that in adding the Michigan native who prepped at Hudsonville Unity Christian and began his collegiate career at Hillsdale.

After dominating at Hillsdale, TeSlaa transferred to Arkansas for his final two collegiate seasons. While he had modest production, he has plenty of athletic traits that suggest he has what it takes to succeed at the professional level.

Here are three takeaways and a prediction for TeSlaa's role after reviewing his film.

Usage and production

TeSlaa's snap distribution at Arkansas is interesting, as he was mostly a slot-exclusive receiver during the 2024 season until the late stages of the season. He played just 21 snaps total out wide in the team's first 10 games, but that number jumped to 94 over the final three games including the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

His overall production was up-and-down, as he was utilized and targeted inconsistently over the course of his final season. TeSlaa did have a big game during Arkansas' showdown against Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, as he hauled in five passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Once his snap count ticked upwards, he became a more prominent target in Arkansas' offense. Against Louisiana Tech, he caught two passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns. The first was an in-breaking route in which he got behind the safety, with the second being a sprint-out that fooled the defense and left him wide open on a corner route.

TeSlaa also caught his fair share of bubble screens out of the slot. There wasn't a plethora of this in Detroit's scheme, but his ability could lead the Lions to create some chances for him to catch short passes in space.

His average depth of target was just over 14 yards, showing that the Razorbacks liked to utilize him on downfield routes. In total, 25 of his 38 targets last season were 10 or more yards downfield. Some of this can be attributed to his ability to run past defenders, but he also showcased good lateral breaks on in- and out-breaking routes.

Another element of his game that will need to be developed is his ability to release against press coverage. Because he spent so much time in the slot, his ability to get off the line of scrimmage against press coverage will need to continue to improve.

Athleticism shines late

When TeSlaa's snap count increased late in the year, he was able to fully showcase the athleticism that made him so difficult to defend at Hillsdale. In addition to his smooth strides and speed, TeSlaa also brings an element of contested catch ability that makes him dangerous in the downfield passing game.

In 2024, TeSlaa caught five of his seven contested catch opportunities. This ability to win in tight situations, paired with his average of six yards after the catch per reception, could translate to opportunities on vertical routes early on his career.

While his route tree may need to be refined at the professional level, there are examples of him shaking defenders with crisp routes. For example, he dusted a defender at Ole Miss with a sharp out-and-up route that resulted in a leaping catch over the seam.

Against Texas A&M, TeSlaa provided another example of that athleticism. He hauled in a deep ball, then outran the defender covering him for a score after snatching the ball out of the air.

Moments such as these confirm the eye-popping testing numbers, and while he is not a finished product, these elements of his game give him a solid foundation for the Lions to build upon.

Run blocking

One of the aspects of TeSlaa's game that first caught Brad Holmes' attention was his ability to block. In 1-on-1 drills at the Senior Bowl, Holmes observed as the Arkansas was frustrating opponents with his tenacity as a blocker.

The Lions like their receivers to be active participants in the run game, and TeSlaa certainly did enough at the Senior Bowl to show his desire to do so. However, because he was mostly utilized in the slot, he did not have a plethora of opportunities to do so prior to the final three games of the year.

According to Pro Football Focus, TeSlaa was utilized as a run blocker for over 10 snaps in just one of the Razorbacks' first 10 games. However, that number increased over the final three games and allowed him to showcase his abilities as a blocker.

TeSlaa will have to adjust to NFL speed of corners in the run game, as he'll need to showcase a consistent ability to lock on and maintain his blocks. However, he did showcase some of this to set the tone as a downfield blocker against Louisiana Tech with a key block on quarterback Taylen Green's touchdown run.

Initial role

TeSlaa's background as predominately slot receiver makes his initial role tricky to predict, as it's unlikely that he'll push Amon-Ra St. Brown to the boundary full-time. Additionally, he'll likely need some time to develop into becoming a reliable outside receiver.

He has enough athletic tools to contribute right away, so he could likely be in position for a rotational role to begin his career. Because St. Brown has inside and outside versatility, there could be packages in which TeSlaa is utilized in the slot.

Long-term, TeSlaa has all the physical tools to be a successful outside receiver. However, in the immediate future he appears slated for a rotational role with the opportunity to stretch defenses vertically thanks to his speed.

More from Lions OnSI:

Published
Christian Booher
CHRISTIAN BOOHER

Sports journalist who has covered the Detroit Lions the past three NFL seasons. Christian brings expert analysis, insights and an ability to fairly assess how the team is performing in a tough NFC North division. 

Home/News