ALLEN PARK — Friday night was a dream come true in more ways than one for Isaac TeSlaa.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound wide receiver wasn’t just drafted on Day 2 of this year’s NFL Draft — the Hudsonville native was selected by his hometown team, the Detroit Lions.
“I don’t know if I have words now. I’m still processing it right now,” TeSlaa told local reporters shortly after his selection. “Obviously, it’s been not only a dream to play in the NFL, but to play for my hometown team, the team I’ve been rooting for since I was a baby. So, I mean, it’s just an incredible feeling, and I’m just ready to go to work, get to the facility, and just put the work in.”
The Lions traded a third-round pick in this year’s draft and a pair of third-rounders next year to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 70th overall pick, the 182nd pick in the sixth round, and a sixth-rounder next year as well.
With the 70th overall pick, the Lions selected TeSlaa — a former Hillsdale standout who also led Hudsonville Unity Christian to its first state football title.
In Detroit, he will join a productive pass-catching group in Allen Park that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick, and Kalif Raymond. It’s too early to tell exactly which role TeSlaa will carve out with the Lions, but selecting a wide receiver they could groom as a potential WR3 behind St. Brown and Williams felt like a necessity.
“So many different talents and so many different backgrounds I’m going to be able to learn from, and obviously there’s so much talent in that room,” TeSlaa said. “I’m just excited to, like I said, learn from all of them, but bring something else, bring something new to the room as well.”
With no ego about his game, TeSlaa told reporters via video conference that he can “absolutely” play outside or in the slot, carrying a versatile skill set and frame the Lions have been looking for in a WR3.
“Obviously, I have a big frame, speed, size, everything, so that’s an outside receiver, but I can also be moved to the slot. I feel like I bring a lot of versatility,” TeSlaa said. “... there’s always room to grow. I think you would talk to anyone in the NFL, even the best of the best. They tell you there’s room for improvement. So for me, that’s my mentality — just coming in, doing everything I can do, and just continuing to improve every single day.”
As mentioned, TeSlaa grew up a Lions fan, watching games with his father regardless of the day or time. He has fond memories of watching the former Lions quarterback-receiver tandem of Matthew Stafford and Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson.
In fact, he was in attendance that fateful Saturday on Dec. 22, 2012, when Johnson broke fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s record for most receiving yards in a season.
To go from watching players he loved make history to now being part of a team trying to establish some history of its own, TeSlaa described it as a “fun feeling.”
“Not everyone gets to experience this, and I’m just extremely grateful. Obviously, God’s had a plan for me my entire life, and who knew that plan was going to be to play for the Detroit Lions someday,” TeSlaa said. “So I’m just extremely grateful and, like I said, I’m just ready to come to work.
“Obviously, it’s been fun watching them from the TV, from games, but it’s going to be even better to be on the field with them.”
