We may now know why the Lions felt they had to go all in on moving up for Isaac TeSlaa
On night two of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions made a huge trade-up in the third round with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They traded the 102nd pick in the third round and two future third-round picks to get to 70. When the move happened, there was some thought that the Lions were moving up to […]
On night two of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions made a huge trade-up in the third round with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They traded the 102nd pick in the third round and two future third-round picks to get to 70.
When the move happened, there was some thought that the Lions were moving up to get an edge rusher. Guys like Landon Jackson, Princely Umanmielan, and Jordan Burch were still there. Instead, the Lions shocked everyone by taking Arkansas receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
Now, TeSlaa has been moving up the board as of late, but he was still expected by draft experts to be a day-three pick. The big concern was really the lack of production he had at Arkansas. Still, it's very clear that the athleticism and potential are there.
So why did the Lions make this move? Why did they jump 32 picks to get this guy? We believe, and this is our opinion, it's because if they hadn't, he would have been gone four picks later when the Broncos picked.
The Broncos were interested in TeSlaa. They met with him before the draft, and they very clearly were in the market for a big-bodied receiver. They met with five receivers for top-30 picks ahead of the draft, and they didn't walk out with any of them. When TeSlaa came off the board, they went with a guy they didn't have a reported meeting with in Illinois' Pat Bryant four picks later.
The Saints, who picked right after the Lions, also met with TeSlaa for a top-30 visit. It's possible they were interested, but they never picked a receiver in the draft. The Bills met with him, too. They took a receiver in the seventh round. The Broncos make the most sense.
For the Lions, this wasn't the only reason they took him so high. They took him because TeSlaa was Lions GM Brad Holmes' favorite receiver.
"I'll give you this, though: The pick that was probably the most questioned, I would say, was Isaac TeSlaa. 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."
Holmes has a knack for drafting guys that draft experts think went too high and then being right about that player. TeSlaa could very well be another one of those guys.
The Lions may have sneakily found the heir to Frank Ragnow’s throne, he’s proof of the philosophy Detroit’s front office had printed on sweaters at the draft
The Detroit Lions have the best center in the game with Frank Ragnow. I don't at all think that's a wild take. The thing about Ragnow is that, as good as he is, he's not going to play forever. It's something that's been talked about at length since he started having trouble with his toe. […]
