The Hall of Fame game officially marks the first game of the NFL season, and it allows unheralded players fighting for playing time to prove they belong.
This year, the Lions played the Chargers, and one name that immediately stood out was Isaac TeSlaa. The wide receiver was drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft and has become an early fan favorite in Detroit thanks to his own Lions fandom.
On the NBC broadcast, a montage was shown of TeSlaa's love of the Lions growing up, which includes him wearing Detroit jerseys as a kid and wearing a personalized Lions jersey during his pre-draft visit with the team.
Isaac Teslaa was more than ready to be drafted by the @Lions 🥹 pic.twitter.com/a552zmV23I
— NFL (@NFL) August 1, 2025
TeSlaa got into some early action for the Lions on Thursday night, which included his first catch in an NFL game.
.@TeslaaIsaac with his first NFL reception#PFHOF25 | 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/sOgrSyFUxX
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 1, 2025
The expectation is for TeSlaa to play a contributing role on the Lions' offense this year, as his third-round draft status shows how highly the team thinks of him. While he isn't currently a starter, TeSlaa could rise in the depth chart before the end of the year.
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Isaac TeSlaa stats vs. Chargers
- Catches: 2
- Receiving yards: 46
TeSlaa only caught two passes on the night, but he was taken out early in the game to make way for players lower on the depth chart.
Isaac TeSlaa is gonna be special.
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) August 1, 2025
pic.twitter.com/xCsmf8RSAU
Isaac TeSlaa putting guys on skates pic.twitter.com/Dm6qRICOXl
— 🚀 (@wiluptonnfl) August 1, 2025
TeSlaa also impressed on special teams, which will be key for him as he looks for ways to get on the field early in his rookie season.
how about that gunner rep from Isaac TeSlaa at the bottom of the screen pic.twitter.com/JHd58XTSMO
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 1, 2025
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Where is Isaac TeSlaa from?
TeSlaa was born and raised in Hudsonville, Mich., which is located about 2.5 hours west of Detroit. He attended Unity Christian High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete and played quarterback on the football team.
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Where did Isaac TeSlaa go to college?
TeSlaa attended Hillsdale College in south Michigan from 2020-22, which is where his father also played college football. He transitioned to WR after playing QB in high school, and in his third season at Hillsdale, TeSlaa had a breakout season with over 1,300 receiving yards. That allowed him to transfer to a bigger school in the offseason.
In 2023 and 2024, TeSlaa played at Arkansas against better competition. While he wasn't able to match his production from Hillsdale College, he still proved enough to get drafted into the NFL.
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Isaac TeSlaa college stats
| Year | School | Games | Catches | Receiving yards | Yards per reception | Touchdowns |
| 2020 | Hillsdale | 3 | 5 | 93 | 18.6 | 0 |
| 2021 | Hillsdale | 12 | 45 | 698 | 15.5 | 7 |
| 2022 | Hillsdale | 11 | 68 | 1,325 | 19.5 | 13 |
| 2023 | Arkansas | 12 | 34 | 351 | 10.3 | 2 |
| 2024 | Arkansas | 13 | 28 | 545 | 19.5 | 3 |