The Detroit Lions haven’t had a great track record when it comes to third-round picks lately, but the good news is that could be coming to an end after 2025.
Detroit traded up to snag wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa last year, and that proved to be a good decision. Even though TeSlaa wasn’t utilized as much as he could have been, the rookie still excelled significantly, piling up 239 yards and six touchdowns on 16 receptions.
Heading into 2026, there is an expectation that TeSlaa is poised to become one of the most important weapons the Lions have. Ahead of the offseason, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell paid him a huge complement that could be indicative of where the franchise believes he is going.
As revealed by Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com, Campbell said he believes TeSlaa grew the most last season of any of the Lions’ young players. That was evidence by the fact that the team was able to give him a bigger role and more information and he was able to digest it and excel.
As a result of this, the hope is TeSlaa can form a big three with Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown at receiver, as well as become a running mate for Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, talented players at running back and tight end. The combination of everyone could give Detroit the most lethal offense in the NFL.
The expectations are high, but there’s no reason to think that TeSlaa can’t reach his potential after a solid rookie season learning the ropes.
TeSlaa can be even better in 2026 thanks to his quick NFL adjustment
The Lions haven’t had third-round luck since snagging defensive tackle Alim McNeill and safety Kerby Joseph during back-to-back drafts in 2021 and 2022. TeSlaa, though, should help them stop that bleeding in the court of public opinion fast.
TeSlaa adjusted quickly to the NFL even in spite of the fact that he was a hometown player who came in with major expectations. Once he settled down and started to learn the league, he realized that production can come easy.
“I remember coming in here and just being so nervous for camp. I felt like I had all this pressure on me. I felt like when I first got here, I was a little uptight with the way I was playing. As I continued to go out throughout the season, I built the confidence in myself and the people around me. I think it just allowed me to loosen up and have more confidence in myself and allowed me to play better throughout the season.”
With a full year under his belt and a new offensive coordinator, the sky should be the limit for TeSlaa entering 2026. He has already proven himself to be a potentially elite red zone weapon given his size, and has established a penchant for making the tough catch look incredibly easy.
Add it up and it seems as if the Lions could have a budding star in TeSlaa. His usage may have been inconsistent as a rookie, but there’s no doubt he will fight to see more action when next season begins.
