The Lions will promise nothing to any one in competition for a roster spot or a role, and a particular undrafted rookie could have a draft pick looking over his shoulder in short order.
The Detroit Lions seemed likely to come out of the 2025 NFL Draft with a wide receiver, and with a bold move up from pick No. 102 to No. 70 overall they did so by taking Isaac TeSlaa out of Arkansas. The move has been criticized from all kinds of angles ever since, and a clip showing TeSlaa making a contested catch during rookie minicamp last weekend ramped it up again.
During an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa and Jensen” after the draft, while acknowledging the public questioning of the pick, general manager Brad Holmes called TeSlaa his favorite receiver in this year’s class.
A late-riser during the pre-draft process, TeSlaa defied his size (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) by running a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine on his way to posting the best Athleticism Score (96) among wide receivers at the event.
A lack of production over his two seasons for the Razorbacks, just 62 catches after transferring from Division II Hillsdale, wasn’t his fault. But it’s definitely something that will follow TeSlaa into the NFL until he proves himself, and for as good as Holmes has been in the draft the third round has been rough in spots.
What we absolutely know right now, as much as the Lions like him and saw him as an ideal fit, is TeSlaa will not be promised anything. A 53-man roster spot is a virtual lock, but other than that there are no guarantees.
Undrafted rookie could put Isaac TeSlaa on unsteady ground right off the bat
The Lions have had at least one undrafted rookie make their initial 53-man roster every year under Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, and dating back to 2010 overall (h/t to Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network). So opportunity can knock for anyone, it’s just a matter of seizing it.
In choosing one UDFA to watch for the Lions this year, Ben Cooper of Pro Football Focus chose wide receiver Jackson Meeks.
“The Lions seemed destined to draft a wide receiver to complement Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and that came to fruition when the team traded up in the third round for Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa.”
“That doesn’t preclude Meeks from making the roster or practice squad. The Syracuse product was the second-highest-graded wide receiver in the ACC in 2024 (81.4) and hauled in 21 contested catches — the most of any FBS wideout.”
A lot of contested catches can be seen as good or bad, depending on how the wind hits you that day. But with the athletic limitations he has, Meeks knows how to use the assets he does have and Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team noted that.
“He (Meeks) has good body control and contortion ability, which allowed him to peel back on back shoulder throws or otherwise elevate and attack the football at its highest point. His hands are strong through contact, which allows him to win tough targets.”
Crabbs’ description of Meeks as a blocker screams of someone wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery will end up stumping for when it comes time to whittle down to a 53-man roster.
“He wins as a blocker on the edges and in the core alike as a tone-setter to help win real estate. He’s more of a space claimer than a space creator.”
In the frenzy to sign undrafted players in the hours after the draft, the Lions moved quickly to sign Meeks. They reportedly gave him $200,000 in guaranteed money, as he told Rogers four or five teams showed interest is signing him, and he is notably the nephew of former Lions defensive end Za’Darius Smith.
Meeks has NFL size (6-foot-2, 213 pounds), and after three years buried on the depth chart at Georgia he had 78 catches and topped 1,000 yards for Syracuse last season. The Lions need a big-bodied receiver of his ilk, and in a broad sense he should not see TeSlaa as intimidating competition if all things besides draft status are equal.
