DETROIT — The Detroit Lions didn’t sit still in the 2025 NFL Draft. On April 26, they pulled off a gutsy trade to climb the board and grab Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa with the 70th overall pick in the third round. It’s a move that’s got the Motor City buzzing, as the Lions add a towering, homegrown talent to their already explosive offense.
TeSlaa, a 6-foot-4, 214-pound Michigander, brings a rare blend of size, speed, and hands to a Lions squad looking to deepen its receiving corps. Born and raised in Hudsonville, just a couple hours west of Detroit, he’s no stranger to the grit of Michigan football. After a standout career at Hillsdale College, where he racked up 2,360 yards and 34 touchdowns in two seasons, he transferred to Arkansas in 2023. There, he hauled in 74 catches for 1,134 yards and 10 scores over two years, proving he could hang with SEC defenses. His combine performance turned heads—blazing speed, a wide catch radius, and the kind of body control that makes contested catches look routine.
The Lions paid a steep price to get him. They sent their 102nd pick in the third round, plus two 2026 third-rounders, to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In return, Detroit landed TeSlaa, a sixth-round pick (182nd overall), and a 2026 sixth-rounder. It’s a hefty haul for a third-rounder, but the Lions clearly see TeSlaa as a missing piece. His versatility—lining up outside, in the slot, or even motioning into the backfield—gives offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a shiny new toy to play with.
Brad Holmes, the Lions’ general manager, didn’t hide his excitement. He called TeSlaa a “dynamic weapon” who can stretch the field and win jump balls in the red zone. Head coach Dan Campbell, never one for half-measures, praised the rookie’s physicality, noting his knack for shrugging off defenders like a linebacker shaking off a tackle. TeSlaa’s homecoming adds extra juice—fans at Ford Field are already dreaming of the lanky wideout hauling in deep balls from Jared Goff.
The trade and selection were finalized on April 26, with the NFL’s official draft tracker logging the move in real time. TeSlaa becomes the latest piece in Detroit’s ongoing rebuild, joining a receiving group that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. With the draft still rolling, the Lions are signaling they’re not here to mess around—they’re building a roster to compete now.
Isaac TeSlaa was born in Hudsonville, Michigan, on May 22, 2001. He measures 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 214 pounds. He recorded 34 receptions for 351 yards and two touchdowns in his final season at Arkansas in 2024. The Lions’ trade involved the 102nd pick in 2025, two 2026 third-round picks sent to Jacksonville, and the 182nd pick in 2025 plus a 2026 sixth-round pick received.