Lions quietly landed another soaring WR they can't afford to lose

The Detroit Lions enjoyed plenty of impressive performances during the preseason, but it's safe to say the biggest waves were made at wide receiver.

Normally, it would be common to see one breakout performance at the spot. Isaac TeSlaa was very impressive, but he wasn't the only player who stepped up big. Jackson Meeks was arguably even more consistent catching passes for Detroit.

Meeks put up 176 yards on 11 catches with two touchdowns, making it hard for the Lions to leave him off the roster. That was likely even more the case given how impressive the metrics said he was as well. Pro Football Focus was a big fan of Meeks' work the whole preseason.

Bradley Locker included Meeks on his 2025 preseason All-Rookie Team, naming him one of the top wide receivers in the league, and the reasoning had plenty to do with how he performed after the catch and without the ball in his hands.

"Across 108 snaps — the fifth-most for any rookie receiver in August — Meeks churned out an 85.8 overall PFF grade with an 82.0 PFF receiving mark. The Syracuse alum snagged all but one of his 12 targets, averaging a gaudy 16.0 yards per reception and 2.79 yards per route run."

It's only a matter of time before Lions preseason star Jackson Meeks earns an opportunity

The Lions have a philosophy in their wideout room revolving around the phrase "no block, no rock." It's clear that Meeks buys into that mindset. Though he is currently on the practice squad, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Lions give him a chance in the event they need another body early in the year.

Having one of the preseason's top offensive weapons stashed away is a huge advantage for Detroit.

It wouldn't be a shock to see Meeks in Detroit this season. The reason? He's worked hard to make a name for himself and understands he has to continually work hard to prove himself. Though he's not yet on the roster, he recently made it clear the grind won't stop.

"At Georgia, I was the underdog. In high school, I was the underdog. I've always had to fight an uphill battle," said Meeks.

"Honestly, I didn't expect anything different from the NFL. I had one year of college film that I played receiver. So, of course, I wasn't high on a lot of people's draft boards. I don't have a lot of film to go off of. But, at the end of the day, I'm out here showing that I can play football. Whether it's undrafted, first round, second round, it doesn't matter. We put pads on, we put our helmets on, it's about who's better than who."

Meeks has quite a track record this offseason of proving how good he is, and it's earned him plenty of praise already. After a fantastic preseason, he will set his sights on helping the Lions in practice every day. That could eventually earn him a spot in the pros.