We finally had football back last night, and it was definitely one of… the games of all time. The 2025 preseason finally kicked off with the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers playing in the Hall of Fame game. That’s right, we got the famed QB duel of Trey Lance vs. Kyle Allen. We used to pray for times like this.
However, we did have some nice moments from draft picks or guys who are at the bottom of their respective rosters. Those guys were the real standouts on Thursday, and increased their chance not only of making the roster, but getting regular season playing time. Of course, we must take these with a grain of salt because it’s the first preseason game of the year, but some interesting tidbits popped up. Here are X guys that stood out in the 2025 Hall of Fame Game.
Keandre Lambert-Smith, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Lambert-Smith is a really fascinating player when you look at him in relation to the rest of the Chargers’ receiving core. Coming out of Auburn, his speed and quickness really stood out and made him a fifth-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. On Thursday, those attributes were on display as he helped move the Chargers’ offense a couple of times with some big plays. The first one was on a fade route against Detroit Lions’ 2024 2nd-round pick Ennis Rakestraw, where he showcased his sub-4.4 speed connecting with Lance downfield. His touchdown catch was even better, getting an NBA Street-level ankle breaker before breaking inside on a slant and scoring a TD.
Again, we must take it with a grain of salt, but Lambert-Smith has been getting rave reviews from the Chargers’ coaching staff. Los Angeles needs someone who can create some explosives downfield to open up lanes for WR Ladd McConkey in the intermediate areas of the field. Lambert-Smith being able to be a big play machine in the preseason will help him get reps with the starters in the regular season.
Caleb Murphy, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ EDGE depth is still under construction, with Joey Bosa in Buffalo and Tuli Tuipulotou stepping into the starting role. Murphy has a chance to get some reps in the Chargers’ EDGE room, and in the first game of the preseason he played really well. He started off by forcing a fumble on the kickoff return (in which Lions’ LB Grant Stuard was returning kicks? Nothing makes sense in the preseason!). He also had a pretty sick pass rush rep late in the game that I really liked.
Murphy is from a small school in Ferris State, but the pass rush chops give him an opportunity for reps as a designated pass rusher. The Chargers’ depth on the EDGE doesn’t have a guy like Murphy who wins with flexibility around the corner rather than explosiveness through a linemen’s chest could get him reps on defense, but making plays on special teams is where he can really hit the ground running.
Nikko Reed, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Reed is another player getting rave reviews out of Chargers camp is CB Nikko Reed, and he backed it up with a really good performance on Thursday. Reed had one PBU and one interception that he took all the way into the opposite red zone, on top of zero catches on 3 targets. Reed’s ability to mirror and reaction time on the ball was on display with the interception, nabbing a pass thrown behind the receiver and making the play.
It’s going to be tough to find playing time in a crowded Chargers’ cornerback room, but Reed could be playing his way onto the practice squad in LA. The Chargers found CB Tarheeb Still last season late in the draft and he turned out to be a really good player in that defense, maybe Reed can make lightning strike twice.
Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Detroit Lions
Not much went well for the Lions on Thursday, but WR Isaac TeSlaa made some nice plays both as a receiver and on special teams. He had a couple of nice catches, the second of which saw him get open over the middle of the field for a big gain. He also had a nice rep as a punt gunner, forcing a fair catch.
TeSlaa was the Lions’ 3rd round pick that raised a lot of eyebrows, but when you’re big, tall and fast you can find your way into some sort of reliability on an NFL roster. TeSlaa’s ability on over routes and across the middle of the field will be huge for him getting reps with the starters down the line, but showing his ability on special teams could get him playing time early.
Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Detroit Lions
Ya-Sin is an NFL vet looking to stay on a roster long term, and in the Hall of Fame game, he made a couple of really good tackles as a corner. Now I know that you’re probably thinking that if corners are making good tackles that means someone up front messed up, but with how often offenses force corners to be involved in the run fit corners have to be willing to tackle. For corners near the bottom of the roster that have to play special teams, not only being willing to tackle but being good at tackling has to be in play if you want to make the team. Ya-Sin made a couple really nice tackles near the goal line at the beginning of the game, first on rookie RB Omarion Hampton then RB Kimani Vidal.
Ya-Sin is in a tough room for cornerbacks in Detroit, but with that tackling ability and playing well in the preseason he could play his way onto the roster.
Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE, Detroit Lions
Per PFF, the highest graded player from the Lions last night was Hassanein, who made a couple of good stops against the run. His motor stood out at Boise State when defending the run, and he made a few nice stops on the backside of run plays, squeezing his gap and compressing all the air out of it before making the tackle. This one also stood out on Thursday:
I don’t think this means Hassanein is getting run with the 1s anytime soon, as he’s seen more like a developmental player on the Lions’ roster. However, being able to defend the run at a high level will get you on the field, especially in the NFL right now. Hassanein can hang his hat on that while he continues to grow as a pass rusher.
