Notes: ESPN insider gives important context to Lions’ selection of Isaac TeSlaa

ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler provided some very important context to the Detroit Lions’ surprising selection of WR Isaac TeSlaa.

Without a doubt, the most controversial pick of the Detroit Lions ’ 2025 NFL Draft was their third-round selection of Arkansas receiver Isaac TeSlaa. Not only did the Lions take him ahead of many projections of his draft position, but they used a pair of future third-round picks to move up from 102 to 70 to acquire him (and two sixth-round picks in return).

While the move drew criticisms both from Lions fans and NFL analysts, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler produced an article this week that provided some important context to the TeSlaa selection . First and foremost, Fowler explained how TeSlaa launched his draft value late in the process—something the media may have not caught up with.

“But Isaac TeSlaa is a prime example of why the predraft process matters,” Fowler wrote. “TeSlaa was off the draft radar and had to scramble to get an invite to the Hula Bowl, which led to an invite to the Senior Bowl . He performed well at both, then caught scouts’ attention at the combine by running a 4.43-second 40 at 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds. Had TeSlaa not gotten that Hula Bowl invite, his draft positioning would have looked far different.”

Additionally, there’s the issue of his lack of production at Arkansas. While TeSlaa racked up 68 catches, 1,325 yards, and 13 touchdowns in his final season at Hillsdale College, when he transferred to Arkansas, that production dipped significantly. He had just 34 catches for 351 yards his first year, and 28 catches for 546 yards in 2024.

Fowler says when teams started to do deeper research into his situation, there were some reasonable explanations for the lack of production.

“But once teams started to see him up close, they scheduled interviews with him and did their research on why he didn’t get the ball at Arkansas. It wasn’t because of attitude or work ethic issues — his personality shined in the process, becoming Detroit GM Brad Holmes’ favorite player in the draft. Some attributed his low production in college to lack of communication and inexperience at quarterback,” Fowler wrote.

After selecting TeSlaa, Holmes said something similar, noting that their concern of his lack of production was eased after getting to know him.

“Going to Arkansas and the higher production the year before and then it dipped down and just the explanation from there, I thought he handled it very professionally,” Holmes said.

As for the trade up, it’s impossible to know when TeSlaa would have gone had Detroit not made the move. However, Fowler points out that there were several teams right after Pick 70 that did extensive research on the wideout.

“TeSlaa also had great predraft processes with the New Orleans Saints (No. 71) and the Buffalo Bills (No. 72), so it wasn’t lost on TeSlaa that Detroit traded directly in front of those two, plus Denver at No. 74, which went to receiver Pat Bryant ,” Fowler wrote.

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• After J.B. Bickerstaff lost out on NBA Coach of the Year this week, it’s officially Detroit vs. Everybody season again, as Kerby Joseph notes:

• Nolan Bianchi has a great story on the background of Ahmed Hassanein . You think you’ve heard every inspirational story about him, but there’s even more in here.

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• Congrats to Donovan Peoples-Jones!

• The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy has a good article about how each individual draft pick fits both on the field and within the Lions’ culture .