Our staff makes their pick for least favorite Detroit Lions pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
At this point in time, it’s hard to doubt Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. He’s built up so much goodwill with an incredible hit rate in his first four NFL drafts that if you criticize a pick, you’re playing against the odds.
That said, we all are entitled to our opinions, and even the best talent evaluators turn out to be wrong from time to time. So today, our Pride of Detroit roundtable tackles our least favorite pick from the 2025 NFL Draft.
Previous roundtables:
- What was the biggest surprise from the Lions draft?
- Which Lions UDFA has the best chance to make an impact?
- What is a pick the Lions should have made?
- What was the Lions’ best value pick?
- Which pick are you most excited to see in training camp?
What was your least favorite pick from the Lions’ 2025 draft?
John Whiticar: Isaac TeSlaa
The player itself is fine, and I always love seeing a prospect play for the team he grew up supporting. That being said, I simply cannot support the trade up, even if the trade charts make it appear closer. The Lions sacrificed three third-round picks for TeSlaa, a player in need of serious polish. I like the athletic potential, but he was almost exclusively a big slot in college, a role that the Lions do not utilize outside of tight end Sam LaPorta on occasion. If they wanted an X receiver, there were better, more experienced options on the board. I was fearful that Brad Holmes would continue to mortgage future draft picks for developmental projects, and he did so once again.
Morgan Cannon: Isaac TeSlaa
When I think of why the Lions really liked TeSlaa during the pre-draft process, I understand why. The long speed and quick-twitch traits are there from a physicality standpoint, and if he can continue to improve as a technician—his ceiling could be pretty lofty. Still, I see this pick as one of Holmes’ more risky trade-ups since becoming the Lions general manager in 2021. Hopefully, TeSlaa can learn a lot on the job in 2025, and maybe he can be ready to be the starting X-receiver in 2026.
Max Gerber: Dominic Lovett
I hate to say I have a least favorite pick, but I would have to go with wide receiver Dominic Lovett. While I think he’s a talented player on offense who will be a key contributor on special teams, he is a bit of a redundant pick, given how many other similar receivers Detroit already has rostered. Lovett is small, primarily plays in the slot, and has no college experience returning kicks or punts. This will make it hard for him to crack the final roster, even as a draft pick.
Jeremy Reisman: Isaac TeSlaa
The Lions needed a long-term option at WR-X, but filling that position by trading a big surplus of picks to get a player who hasn’t played that position is compounding risk on top of risk. I get trusting your impressive coaching staff to build upon TeSlaa’s admittedly huge potential, but the NFL Draft is already a risky game, and Holmes did not play the odds with this decision.
Brandon Knapp: Isaac TeSlaa
Isaac TeSlaa, and only because of the value the Lions gave up for him. I know Brad likes his projects, but giving away two extra third-round picks for a guy who might have been there is still a bit of a reach for me.
Al Karsten: Dominic Lovett
This is more of a nitpick than a major gripe, but Lovett’s path to the 53-man roster feels like a long shot. I was hoping for a dart throw at positions with more glaring depth concerns. The Lions passed on addressing the backup SAM linebacker role (Chaz Chambliss, Kaimon Rucker) or adding a true blocking tight end (Luke Lachey, C.J. Dippre, Ben Yurosek)—and several were still on the board with just 14 picks remaining. Finding a potential Khalif Raymond replacement didn’t feel like a 2025 need.
Erik Schlitt: Dominic Lovett
I hate this category because I can see the vision with each player drafted, but Lovett is the most susceptible to not making the roster. His upside is tremendous, and he has the special teams skills to challenge for a starting spot. On offense, he is WR6 at best and will face a lot of competition for a place on the roster.
Hamza Baccouche: Isaac TeSlaa
It’s gotta be the Isaac TeSlaa pick, and that’s no knock on him as a player or a person, but I’m really skeptical of the value. I hope, like many times before, Brad Holmes makes us look silly for doubting him. TeSlaa has the physical traits and was used very oddly in Arkansas’ offense, so there’s tons of potential there, but I’ll need to see it on the field to feel better about what the Lions gave up to move up 32 picks and get him.
Ryan Mathews: Isaac TeSlaa
No knock on the prospect himself—I said earlier that he’s the prospect I’m most excited to see in training camp —but the sort of capital Detroit had to trade in order to move up and take TeSlaa was a steep price to pay.