Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions’ 2025 rookie class had one final chance to prove themselves in the preseason matchup against the Houston Texans. With several roster spots still up for grabs, the competition is fierce, but did any of these rookies make a strong enough case to secure a place on the Lions’ 53-man roster?
Of the nine rookies who suited up on Saturday afternoon, only one of them appears to have his roster spot locked in: fthird-round pick Isaac TeSlaa. The Michigan native continued his standout preseason with another strong performance, hauling in both of his targets for 41 yards and a touchdown. That brings his preseason totals to 146 yards and three scores across four games, solidifying his role as Detroit’s fifth wide receiver. With TeSlaa cementing his place, the battle for the remaining spots in the wide receiver room becomes all the more difficult for the other rookies.
Seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett looked like a roster lock earlier in the preseason, but his production has dipped noticeably since the Hall of Fame Game. Against Houston, he played 65% of Detroit’s offensive snaps and saw two targets, but came away without a catch. The speedy slot receiver may now find himself on the outside looking in as other rookie wideouts continue to shine. His special teams contributions could keep him in the mix, however, as he saw action as both a kick returner and a gunner on the punt team.
Jackson Meeks entered this matchup as one of the Lions’ preseason standouts. The undrafted rookie out of Syracuse had posted 176 yards and two touchdowns leading up to Saturday, but his impact against Houston was minimal. Meeks was targeted just once and failed to record a catch, while also drawing an illegal shift penalty on a third-and-1. Still, he found ways to contribute, playing a key role on special teams and logging the third-most snaps on that unit at 58%.
Jakobie Keeney-James once again struggled to make an impact. Despite seeing action on 30% of Detroit’s offensive snaps, he wasn’t targeted a single time and contributed very little on special teams. Given how his preseason has unfolded, it’s becoming difficult to envision a path for Keeney-James to secure even a spot on the practice squad.
Tight end Zach Horton has showcased his versatility throughout the preseason, starting out at fullback before expanding into roles as an in-line tight end, slot receiver, and even lining up outside. His blocking ability has been a steady asset, potentially putting him in direct competition with Shane Zylstra for the third tight end spot. Against Houston, Horton didn’t record a catch but impressed with his route running. However, a costly false start penalty by the undrafted tight end erased a convertible fourth-and-1 opportunity and forced the Lions to punt on fourth-and-6 instead.
Offensive lineman Mason Miller lined up as the second-team right guard for the second straight game. Though it’s a relatively new role for him, the rookie has looked increasingly comfortable since transitioning from...
