The Detroit Lions once again figure to have one of the best offenses in NFL, with an exceptional group of skill-position players to support quarterback Jared Goff. Between Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, and Sam LaPorta, there's no shortage of weapons.
Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond are solid options as well, but one new rookie is turning heads at camp and making his coaches fall in love with him thanks to some vicious practice blocks and impressive catches.
Some analysts believed that selecting Isaac TeSlaa out of Arkansas in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft represented a reach. However, it's becoming clear that TeSlaa is the perfect Lion.
Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa had a violent block on Nick Whiteside in the end zone, paving the way for a Tom Kennedy touchdown. You could hear it from Grand Rapids. Offense was more pumped about the block than the TD. Scottie Montgomery LOVED it. TeSlaa was fired up.
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) August 5, 2025
Lions Rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa Winning Coaches Over After Great Block in Practice
As noted by Detroit insider Colton Pouncy, TeSlaa had a violent block on Nick Whiteside in the end zone, creating space for Tom Kennedy to score a touchdown. The offense was apparently "more pumped" about the block than the score, and wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery loved it.
TeSlaa was reportedly earning first-team reps as well, perhaps being a sign of what's to come this fall. He projects as a bonafide deep threat with blazing speed and great size, having ran a 4.4 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4. That's a potentially special player and the physicality he's displaying on his blocks should have fans excited.
It'll be interesting to see how the departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson impacts the offensive scheme, though it feels unlikely that new play-caller John Morton would try to fix something that isn't broken. TeSlaa still has a lot to prove though impressed in his first preseason game, notching two catches for 46 yards while consistently getting separation in his routes.
This is someone who averaged 19.5 yards per catch last season at Arkansas. Adding a dynamic player like that to your offense is always a good thing, even if Detroit was already rich at the position. Based on how excited TeSlaa's teammates and coaches are about him, it looks like the Lions may have found another steal in the draft.
All that ultimately matters is winning in the playoffs, and Detroit's offense couldn't keep up with Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in the playoffs. That game was more about a poor defensive effort than anything, but there's still room for improvement. If TeSlaa can stack the odds in the offense's favor even more, it'll be a big win and could push the Lions over the top in 2025.