LOS ANGELES – Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa sat down with All-Pro teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown and receiver Equanimeous St. Brown on the St. Brown Podcast for a candid conversation about his NFL journey during the NFLPA Rookie Premiere.
TeSlaa was drafted by the Lions with the No. 70th pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft.
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He is a big slot receiver whose stock rose after his performance during Senior Bowl week.
With his massive body and super strength, TeSlaa is a mismatch nightmare for smaller defensive backs. He will be a reliable pass catcher for quarterback Jared Goff, whom Amon-Ra knows very well.
Draft Night
TeSlaa recalled the excitement of draft night.
“Getting drafted was probably the coolest night of my life,” said TeSlaa. “Getting that call, getting drafted to the team I’ve been watching since I was a kid. Surreal feeling.”
Wearing custom jersey to visit Lions
TeSlaa shared a fun story about showing up to his visit with the Lions wearing a custom jersey his friend had given him years ago.
“My buddy gave me it for Christmas like six years ago, a custom jersey with my name on the back with my high school number on it,” TeSlaa said. “I think they loved it. Maybe it was a little corny, but at the end of the day, it definitely worked.”
TeSlaa is from Hudsonville, on the west side of the state. He expressed excitement about staying close to home.
NFC North Division
When asked about the NFC North division, he confidently named the Lions, the Chicago Bears, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Green Bay Packers.
“Packers week one. So, you hate the Packers, probably,” Amon-Ra joked.
“I hate the Packers,” TeSlaa said.
Growing up a Philadelphia Eagles fan
Amon-Ra grew up a Philadelphia Eagles fan from Orange County, California.
He said, “When I got drafted to Detroit, man, I wasn’t happy. But now, people getting drafted to Detroit are probably really happy because we’re a good team now.”
Amon-Ra credited the current Lions’ success to the recent draft classes and veterans like Goff.
“We’re here to take down guys like, you know, Packer fans like you, Equanimeous,” Amon-Ra said with a smile.
First interaction with Amon-Ra
TeSlaa described his first interaction with Amon-Ra, who reached out to him after the draft.
“He texted me. I was out golfing. I’m like, ‘Oh, he reached out to me.’ I appreciate that,” TeSlaa said.
Draft combine process
Regarding the combine process, TeSlaa explained that he was a late invitee to the Hula Bowl and then the Senior Bowl, which ultimately led to his combine invitation.
“It was just like getting those opportunities and making the most of them,” TeSlaa said.
Amon-Ra shared a funny moment about being asked to say the alphabet backwards during a combine interview.
“It was hard. Took me a minute. I was on Zoom, probably looked like an idiot,” Amon-Ra joked.
Quarterback to receiver
TeSlaa ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and talked about his transition from high school quarterback to wide receiver.
“I wanted the ball in my hands every single play,” TeSlaa said. “With my size, speed, frame, athleticism, I felt like I was a better fit for receiver.”
When asked about building the perfect wide receiver, TeSlaa picked Julio Jones for hands, Cooper Kupp for IQ, Megatron Calvin Johnson for size, DeSean Jackson for speed, and Davante Adams for routes.
Touchdown celebrations
The conversation turned to celebrations, where TeSlaa discussed his headstand celebration, inspired by his current teammate, Amon-Ra, who had done it against the Packers.
“I didn’t even score on that play,” Amon-Ra said. “They called it a touchdown, but they brought it back.”
He praised his Lions teammates for their creative celebrations, especially Jir and J Mo, who come up with crazy moves on game day.
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Jersey number
TeSlaa chose number 18 for his jersey because it was the best available among 18, 19, 80, 82, or 86.
He noted rookies rarely get single-digit numbers unless they are top picks.
You know ball
In a fun “You know ball?” segment, TeSlaa identified NFL players like Megatron, Baker Mayfield, and Brett Favre, showing his football knowledge.
Looking ahead to the Lions’ 2025 schedule, TeSlaa expressed excitement about prime-time games, including Thanksgiving and Christmas matchups. “No family time,” he joked. “Gotta get used to it.”
Exploring America
Though TeSlaa has lived mostly in Michigan and Arkansas, he is now in Los Angeles and open to exploring.
“Whatever you want to do in LA, you can do,” Amon-Ra said.
He also shared some information about his Dutch heritage and the origin of his last name, which is of Slavic or Croatian origin.
Rookie cards
The interview wrapped with a shoutout to Panini, the exclusive trading card partner of the NFL and NFLPA, as TeSlaa opened a pack of rookie cards.
TeSlaa’s mix of humility, humor, and insight gives Lions fans a promising glimpse of their new wide receiver’s personality and potential impact.
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