"This guy is catching every single ball ": Lions GM praises Isaac TeSlaa's skillset while drawing comparison to $120,010,000 WR

The Detroit Lions picked a 6’4’’ 214lb wide receiver from Michigan, Isaac TeSlaa, as their 70th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While it might be early to offer an assessment, Lions' general manager Brad Holmes couldn’t hide his excitement when talking about the rookie wideout.

Holmes talked about TeSlaa in high regard during his appearance on the latest episode of the “Green Light” podcast with Chris Long. The team’s receiving corps is already headlined by $120 million wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, but Holmes saw something familiar to St. brown in TeSlaa’s approach.

“He really popped on the radar for me,” Holmes said. [25:50]

He credited the scouting team for flagging the former D-II standout ahead of the Senior Bowl. But it wasn’t until Holmes saw Isaac TeSlaa live in Mobile that the buzz turned to belief.

“I saw how long and big he was… and just the way he was inserting himself in the run game during team periods. I hadn’t seen a guy strain like that in the run game since we drafted St. Brown in ‘21,” concluded Holmes.

Then came the skill set that called out to the Lions while deciding on him.

“This guy is just catching every single damn ball with his hands,” Holmes added. “Nothing’s hitting his body.”

The reliability, paired with toughness in the trenches, mirrors the gritty DNA that’s become synonymous with St. Brown.

Isaac TeSlaa already garnering competition from Lions' 7th round draft pick

Isaac TeSlaa is new to the NFL and the Lions organization, but he may already be facing competition from fellow rookie wideout Dominic Lovett.

Taken in the third round, TeSlaa arrived in Allen Park with a clear mix of polish and physical presence, bringing a rare size-speed blend, as seen in the OTAs. While a 4.43 40-yard dash is worth the praise, his ability to separate, high-point catches, and contribute to the run game have drawn steady praise, especially from GM Brad Holmes.

Lovett, on the other hand, is a seventh-round pick. The former Georgia Bulldogs WR boasts short-area quickness, clean route running, and comfort finding space in zone coverage, and his 5-foot-10, 185-pound frame projects better in the slot. It'll be interesting to see the Lions' WR depth chart in the 2025 NFL season.