Draft Target: Could Texans Pick Georgia Corner Kamari Lassiter After Trading Down?

The Houston Texans have traded away their first-round pick to build a more sustainable pipeline of talent. Could their new second-round pick have an immediate impact?

The Houston Texans aimed to revamp their defense during the 2024 offseason, attempting to complement star quarterback C.J. Stroud and an electric passing attack with a defense that can take the pressure off once in a while.

Striking fear with a quarterback is one thing, striking fear in opposing quarterbacks is another.

So far, so good. General manager Nick Caserio improved the pass rush with the additions of edge rusher Danielle Hunter and defensive lineman Denico Autry. With anticipated development from edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., the Texans’ front looks to be one of the best in the conference. In an AFC stocked to the brim with good quarterbacks, chasing them down is incredibly important.

Nov 4, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Kamari Lassiter (3) breaks up a pass intended for Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) during the second half at Sanford Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

But so is covering the dynamic receivers they look to target. Houston’s pass defense struggled at times in 2023, giving up explosive plays and falling victim to play-action passes more than the average team. Could they address that in the NFL Draft?

The Houston faithful will have to wait until Friday’s festivities to see who the Texans will pick, as they recently traded down, swapping picks with the Minnesota Vikings. As such, they’ll have the 42nd overall pick (and an extra second-rounder next year). Here, they may opt to draft a cornerback.

He’s not guaranteed to fall, but Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter makes a lot of sense for a Houston defense looking to jump from mediocre to imposing in Year 2 of the DeMeco Ryans regime.

Lassiter is a suitable replacement for veteran corner Steven Nelson and projects as a Day 1 starter. He’s a seamless fit in Ryans’ quarters-heavy scheme which asks corners to man-match, often while aligning away from the line of scrimmage. He’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty in the run game, and as a strong tackler can take snaps in the slot when necessary.

Lassiter hails from a Kirby Smart defense and boasts the processing that often comes with the pedigree of a championship contender. He can experience fundamental inconsistencies closer to the line of scrimmage but isn’t raw between the ears. By all accounts, including his head coach’s, he’s the type of competitor coaches salivate for.

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There may be some concerns with his 40-yard dash times from his pro day, with multiple reports logging him around 4.60 seconds. At a glance, this is a concern, but pro days are notably less forgiving than the “fast” track at the NFL Scouting Combine, and others had him in the 4.50-4.55 range – totally acceptable.

He’s not an elite athlete, but with dependable coverage skills, an easy schematic fit, and the tenacity that Ryans preaches from his defense, Lassiter could be the final puzzle piece to Houston’s starting secondary.