Lions Rookie WR Will Help Offense Stay No. 1 In Key Category

The Detroit Lions were the best team in the National Football League at securing receptions throughout the 2024 season.

Detroit's receivers only dropped 1.7 percent of passes, as the unit took advantage of quarterback Jared Goff's elite accuracy. The former No. 1 overall pick had a 72.4 completion percentage, which ranked second in the league last season.

According to the team website, "Of the 406 catchable passes Detroit Lions quarterbacks threw in 2024, Lions' pass catchers dropped a total of seven, the fewest in the NFL. For comparison, the New York Giants led the NFL with 29 drops, and Green Bay's 7.5 drop percentage was the highest in the league. The Packers spent two of their top three picks in this year's NFL Draft on receivers."

Now, with the addition of third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa, the Lions could stay at the top in terms of drop percentage. The 6-foot-4 wideout, who hails from Hudsonville, will be a solid target for Goff and a good addition to a receiver room that also features Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

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Part of the appeal of TeSlaa is his sure-handedness. The past two years at Arkansas, Detroit's third-round pick had zero drops in 100 total targets. In that span, he hauled in a total of 62 catches for 896 yards and five touchdowns for the Razorbacks.

Draft analysts were encouraged by TeSlaa's size, catch radius and his ability to match up against smaller defensive backs.

"TeSlaa is a big slot receiver whose stock might be on the rise after his performances during Senior Bowl week. He can mismatch smaller cornerbacks with his frame and play strength and is a reliable pass catcher when contested," wrote analyst Lance Zierlein. "He builds up speed as a vertical slot but isn’t sudden enough to simply uncover as a possession slot against tight man. TeSlaa’s ball skills and ability to work down the field from the slot should carry backup value for teams in the market for help at receiver."

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