There weren't many positives for Detroit Lions fans to take away from their team's Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Detroit got outplayed by its division rival in almost every area, losing by a final score of 27-13.
But there was one bright spot for the blue and silver. Rookie wide receiver Isaac Teslaa brought down a highlight-reel catch late in the fourth quarter for the first score of his NFL career. The play might not have meant much for the outcome of this game, but it was the rookie's way of announcing himself to the rest of the league.
Fans and analysts around the NFL criticized Lions general manager Brad Holmes when he took the receiver in the third round of April's draft. Now, it seems like he was right all along.
Isaac Teslaa silences doubters with impressive Lions debut
Nobody considered Teslaa among the top receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was an afterthought, a projected late-round pick destined to spend his career at the bottom of the depth chart. His lack of production at Arkansas raised concerns about his potential at the next level.
But the Lions saw something in the young wideout. His size and physicality caught the eyes of Holmes and Dan Campbell, and Detroit drafted him a round before most experts expected him to come off the board. During the preseason, Holmes told Kay Adams on the Up and Adams Show, "He's playing wide receiver like how we like our guys to play."
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At the time, the pick was viewed as a reach. Now, the rookie is proving his doubters wrong. Teslaa was only targeted once in his NFL debut, but he made it count. Late in the fourth quarter, he caught a jump ball in the end zone to give the Lions their only touchdown of the day. But it was the way he caught it that grabbed fans' attention. The 6'4" receiver snagged the ball with one hand while falling backward, conjuring up memories of Odell Beckham Jr. in his prime. In a game where Detroit was dominated all over the field, the rookie's highlight catch gave fans the bright spot they needed.
It will take time for Teslaa to become a focal point of the Lions' offense. He's still limited as a player, but his catching ability and willingness as a blocker will give him a role in this team.