When the Houston Texans drafted rookie defensive back Kamari Lassiter out of the University of Georgia in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, many fans and analysts debated where defensive backs coach Dino Vasso would play him.
Is his speed suitable for the outside, partnering with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., or does his skillset lean more towards the inside at nickel corner?
Lassiter, 21, took to the podium after day one of the Texans’ rookie minicamp and did not hesitate to say where he would feel more comfortable during his press conference.
“I play football,” said Lassiter. “I play defense wherever they put me. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans echoed those sentiments when asked where Lassiter would lineup in the defensive backfield.
“With Kamari [Lassiter]—again, he’s a very sharp young man,” Ryans said. He can play inside and outside. He did that at Georgia, and whatever that day calls for, we’ll put him out at corner, we’ll put him out at nickel, and we’ll see what happens.”
That versatility is one of the reasons that Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio made him part of the Texans organization. Lassiter’s confidence stood out not only on the field, where he was an intricate part of the Georgia defense that won back-to-back National Championships but also during the initial interview process he had with Houston during the NFL scouting combine in late February.
“I would say [Kamari] Lassiter, I mean, there’s no question about it, it is hands down,” Caserio said on draft night when asked about Lassiter’s mentality.
Lassiter’s work ethic derives from his upbringing with his mother, whom Georgia head coach Kirby Smart calls “Miss. Kammie” out of respect for her sacrifices to ensure that Lassiter would have the best education to match his football skills.
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| Lassiter and his mother Kammie |
That is why it was so important to him that his mother, along with the rest of his family and friends, was present when he received that phone call to let him know that he would be joining the Texans.
“It was just a wave of emotions,” Lassiter responded when asked about the draft night experience. “You know, you dream of getting drafted, and then when it actually happens, you don’t really know what to do in that moment because it’s never happened before. Just seeing the look on everyone’s faces, it was just something that I will never forget in my life.
“Just seeing how happy my mom and my grandma were because they were sitting right beside me, just seeing all my family behind me and everyone’s just cheering. Whenever you see the pictures, you can really see everything, so just looking at the pictures, it almost brings tears to my eyes every time.”
Now that he has gotten his wish of making it to the NFL and playing for the Texans, which became official when he signed a four-year deal worth $9 million that included a $3.3 million signing bonus, it is time for Lassiter to prove that he belongs, just like he had to do at Georgia. During his first year with the Bulldogs, he played in 15 games as a backup and on special teams before fully stepping into the starting role for the next two years.
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“I feel like I just always want to prove myself right,” said Lassiter. “I never sought out to prove anyone wrong. I just thought that I could always be here. I always thought I could play at the highest level in college, and my family always believed that. It’s just always about proving ourselves right. Everything that I do is really just to kind of just prove myself right just to make sure that I know I’m here for a reason.”