In the trusted eyes of Brad Holmes, the past few NFL Drafts have been shallower than normal. The drop-off in talent after Day 2 has been sharp. That informed the Lions' decision this year to make a big move in the third round for Isaac TeSlaa, Holmes' favorite receiver in the draft.
"When you look at the past two or three drafts, including this one, it has not been the same depth of talent," Holmes said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "So this year, last year, the year before, you don’t find an Alim McNeill in the third round, you don’t find an Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth. Those guys just aren’t there as of recent."
Wth the Lions holding the final pick in the third round last Friday, No. 102 overall, Holmes was thinking, "If we stay here, we’re going to be dealing with a different level of player, based on our board. Not on the 31 other boards, but based on our board."
At that point, said Holmes, the Lions had "maybe only two or three" players left in the draft graded on the same level as TeSlaa. And there were "probably about eight teams still looking for a wide receiver." That's why Holmes was comfortable trading two future third-round picks to move up 32 spots and take TeSlaa No. 70 overall.
"But obviously," Holmes added, "it all starts with you gotta have conviction on the player."
Holmes is well aware that TeSlaa, a former high school quarterback who played just two seasons of receiver at Arkansas after transferring from Division II Hillsdale College, wasn't a household name entering the draft. And that the Lions incurred some heavy criticism for taking such a big swing to get him. Holmes just doesn't concern himself with outside perceptions.
"The pick that was probably the most questioned, I would say, was Isaac TeSlaa. I can say that he was my favorite wide receiver in this draft," Holmes said. "I’m not saying he was the best wide receiver in the draft, but favorite wide receiver in the draft, yes."
TeSlaa was the 10th receiver off the board, behind the likes of Travis Hunter, Tet McMillan and Matthew Golden, the latter of whom the Lions brought in for a top-30 visit. He had less impressive stats last season than all of them, with just 28 catches for 545 yards and three touchdowns. But TeSlaa had some of the most impressive athletic numbers in the draft, posting the fastest 20-yard shuttle and one of the top verticals at his position. He clocked a 4.43 40 at 6'4, and had the second highest Relative Athletic Score among receivers.
Maybe most of all, the Lions love the person that fuels the player. TeSlaa is long on the intangibles that Holmes and Dan Campbell have valued while building the Lions into back-to-back NFC North champs. They put a premium on qualities like selflessness, competitiveness and drive that count toward a player's football character. TeSlaa checks every box in that regard, which will give him a chance to maximize his NFL potential.
In a draft light on game-changing talent, the Lions had no issue paying a heavy price to get one of their guys.
"When you start getting into trade ups, it is so much more than, 'Hey, we like this player, we gotta go get him," said Holmes. "We talk about needs all the time, and the teams around the league, the teams that are in front of you, the teams that are behind you, they have needs as well."