It's only the second preseason game of the season, but it looks like the Lions' gamble on a former Hog may pay off. Taken in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, former Arkansas wideout Isaac TeSlaa is already making an impact on the field.
During training camp, TeSlaa put up multiple highlight-worthy plays against NFL vets in the first few days of training camp. But now, he's taken the same play-making ability from the practice field to the stadium. The Hudsonville, Mich. native grabbed the first touchdown of his NFL Career Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons.
What's more, it was only the fourth grab of his career. In addition to a seven-yard reception before his touchdown, TeSlaa had two chunk plays of 22 or more yards each on back-to-back plays against the LA Chargers in the Hall of Fame game that kicked off the NFL preseason. Lions fans are giddy with his production so far, and some in the Detroit media think he could earn a starting role before it's all said and done.
First TD in the league 😤 @TeslaaIsaac pic.twitter.com/lOXjk7kZmb
— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) August 9, 2025
Former USC receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and ex-Alabama wideout Jameson Williams have essentially secured the Lions’ starting spots. That leaves TeSlaa potentially competing with 32-year-old veteran Tim Patrick for the final role. Patrick has battled back from both ACL and Achilles injuries in recent years to earn a starting job in Detroit. But if TeSlaa continues to showcase his potential—as he has in his first few appearances—replacing Patrick could be an easy decision for the Lions’ coaching staff.
But all of this begs the question: Why couldn't Arkansas get this type of production from him? In two years, the former Hillsdale College transfer racked up only 897 yards and five touchdowns as a Razorback. At the end of his career in the NFL, fans could look back at his time in Fayetteville and deem him the most underutilized player in Arkansas football history.