Forward Down the Field: Isaac TeSlaa Becomes a Detroit Lion
Written by Stephanie Gordon
As Isaac TeSlaa walked through the practice field doors at the Meijer Performance Center, the Detroit Lions’ headquarters and training facility in Allen Park, Michigan, he smiled as he sat down with the media in his new Honolulu blue and silver uniform, humbly wearing #18. What started as a childhood dream is now a reality for the former Chargers standout, who officially became a Detroit Lion in May 2025.
The Hudsonville, Michigan, native said he’s loved the game of football for as long as he can remember. “I have pictures of me holding a little stuffed football as a baby,” TeSlaa recalled. “My dad, Mark, was a football coach at Unity Christian High School, so I went to a lot of football games growing up. We’re also big Lions fans, so we would watch Lions games every Sunday.”
Love for the Game
TeSlaa took that early love for the game and started playing tackle football in third grade. His drive, dedication, and athleticism made him a successful quarterback at Unity Christian, where he helped lead the Crusaders to a Division 5 state title in 2018. His all-around athleticism wasn’t limited to just football, though. He played on the Crusaders’ 2018-19 state champion basketball team and won a regional championship in the long jump in 2019, setting a school record.
Despite not being heavily recruited in high school, TeSlaa knew he wanted to play college football. “I started going to football camps during my junior and senior years,” he said. “I went to a camp at Hillsdale, and they offered me a full scholarship. My parents, Mark and Stephanie [both 1997 alumni], graduated from Hillsdale, so it was a no-brainer with that full scholarship offer.”
TeSlaa stepped away from the quarterback position and focused on becoming a wide receiver powerhouse, working with his father, who was also a wide receiver for the Chargers. “I knew I had to put on some size, so I was doing a lot with nutrition and lifting weights,” said TeSlaa. “I’d go out to the field or the backyard with my dad, and we’d do drills and catch the football. My dad is definitely my biggest mentor.”
TeSlaa’s first season with the Chargers was anything but ordinary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the fall 2020 season postponed to spring 2021, he focused on his wide receiver role and learned from veteran teammates like Alec Foos, ’22, and K.J. Maloney, ’21. “There were good leaders in every position group,” TeSlaa said. “These guys had a big impact on me, and I was able to look up to them during my freshman and sophomore years.”
Experiencing “fall camp” in January and February was unique, according to TeSlaa. “Negative temperatures, snow…whatever it was doing outside, we were out there,” he said. “It taught me that I need to love football if this is what I want to do. It was hard, but it was a good way to start my career.”
Reflecting on his time at Hillsdale, TeSlaa distinctly remembers the strong emphasis on academics and core virtues. “Strength does rejoice in the challenge,” he said. “It is about football, but they [Hillsdale] develop young men. I think that’s the biggest thing at the end of the day.”
A teammate’s injury presented an opportunity for TeSlaa to take on a bigger role for the Chargers soon after starting his second season at Hillsdale. This marked a turning point in his college career, all while showcasing his capabilities.
Making a Big Impact
“I was able to step in and make a big impact right away,” TeSlaa said.
And that he did. According to the Athletic Department, TeSlaa had a breakout 2021-22 season, seizing a starting job in week two and finishing the year as Hillsdale’s leader in catches (68), receiving yards (1,325), and receiving touchdowns (13). He earned the G-MAC’s Offensive Player of the Year award as well as All-American honorable mention in 2022.
TeSlaa soon grabbed the attention of Division I schools. After his third season at Hillsdale, he transferred to the University of Arkansas and played for the Razorbacks for two seasons in 2023 and 2024.
“They were both very different dynamics,” TeSlaa said, having experienced Division I and II college football. “I loved many aspects of both. I really loved the feel of Hillsdale. I went through so much with those guys. It was like playing football with your best friends.”
TeSlaa can’t pinpoint the moment when the NFL could become a real possibility. “Even when I was at Arkansas, I didn’t necessarily have the most production, but I knew I had talent. I knew I was athletic, and I knew I could play in the league, but I needed my chance. I needed my shot.”
Getting His Shot
TeSlaa’s shot came when he was invited to the Hula Bowl in January 2025, the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl in February, and then the NFL Scouting Combine. There, he performed impressively. He ran a speedy 4.43 40-yard dash and had the highest athleticism score out of all receivers.
“Once I played well at the Senior Bowl, that’s when my agent said they saw me as a draft pick,” TeSlaa said. “I just learned it’s all about the process. They find guys who know how to be pros and have the intangibles, not necessarily the guys who have the most stats.”
And in April 2025, TeSlaa’s childhood dream officially came true when he was drafted in the third round (70th overall) by the Detroit Lions.
“I don’t know if I can put into words how much this means to me,” TeSlaa smiled. “When you’re a kid, people ask you what you want to do when you grow up. I always wrote down ‘NFL player.’ The fact that I’m in this position now, not only playing in the NFL, but playing for my team I’ve been rooting for since as long as I can remember—how can you put that into words?”
As a rookie, TeSlaa said his biggest goal is finding his role. “Obviously, there’s going to be some sort of offensive role for me—that’s why I was drafted,” he said. “There’s also a special teams role that I’m going to need to find. The biggest part of that is watching the guys ahead of me, those veterans, and how they work. Learning the playbook is going to be another big thing I have to do at full speed.”
In May 2025, the Detroit Lions asked TeSlaa about the best game he ever played. His response: “At Hillsdale College. Three touchdowns. 193 yards.” It’s evident that Hillsdale wasn’t just a stepping stone. It was a place that helped shape him not only as an athlete, but also as an individual, on and off the field. “I have such a love for Hillsdale,” TeSlaa concluded. “There’s no better education you can get. It taught me so many core values. I am a better, well-rounded man because of it.”
From a stuffed football toy to an official NFL game ball, TeSlaa will soon be going forward down the field, watching the blue and silver wave, soaking up his new reality—his childhood dream. And it’s just the beginning.
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children: Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Reposted from the fall 2025 issue of Arete.