Kamari Lassiter a culture fit for Texans as he heads to Houston
Kamari Lassiter is headed to Houston, and if you listen to the decision makers in the Texans organization, it’s largely because of a great culture fit. Yes, the Georgia cornerback is a great football player capable of contributing right away as a rookie. However, he’s also got the kind of mentality that the Texans are looking for.
“Kamari provides toughness. You talk about energy and the way he plays the game, he loves football and it shows on the tape,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said of Lassiter after the draft. “He jumps off the tape, he’s a versatile player that can play inside, can play outside. You talk about a guy who is a leader, a guy who works hard, he’s everything that our team is about. We talk about being relentless and attacking the day with a relentless mindset every single day, that’s what Kamari brings.”t
General manager Nick Caserio, when asked about the draftees fitting into the team’s ideal mentality, added that there was no question about it with Lassiter. With the Savannah, Ga. native and two-year starter for the Bulldogs, his approach to the game was something Caserio said helps him put his head on the pillow at night and rest easy. The Texans are looking for a “SWARM” mindset and Lassiter checks all the boxes.
“I feel like the Texans are coming with a different kind of mindset,” Lassiter said himself. “They bring a different approach to the game, and I feel like the staff is bringing in a lot of guys with that mindset, guys that really want to be successful and are willing to eat off the floor. I feel like I add to that the team. I’m blessed to be an addition to the team.”
“I watched them play this year, and was like, ‘That’s a young team. That’s somewhere I’d really enjoy playing,'” he added. “During the draft process, you always watch football and think about teams you’d be able to fit in with and enjoy playing for. Houston was one of those places … Texans fans, you guys are getting somebody who’s the ultimate competitor, somebody who’s a real life dog and hates to lose. I hate losing more than I love winning. Somebody who will stop at nothing to be successful.”
As for the football side of things, Lassiter fits in in Houston too. The Texans entered the offseason looking for some help opposite of former LSU star Derek Stingley, and Lassiter could be that guy. He also could contribute in a nickelback, inside corner type role – knowing that special teams is important in the calculus of dressing defensive backs on game days too. Openly willing to playing wherever in the secondary, Caserio and company loved the versatility Lassiter brings to the table.
“It starts with Coach Smart and the program he’s put together, assembled. When you look at the number of players – I don’t know how many Georgia players were drafted today but it was a pretty significant amount – they had a number of players that played dual roles. Tykee Smith who was picked, (Javon) Bullard, Kamari got picked. Lassiter’s position flex, he’s played on the perimeter of the formation, he’s played inside the formation. He plays with a linebacker type mentality. He’s a corner, but he tackles, he’s tough, he’s physical,” Caserio said about Lassiter. “I’m sure there will be a question about his speed and how fast he ran, but he’s not slow. The speed really wasn’t a concern of ours. The time is the time, but we’re drafting football players. We’re not drafting track teams. I know speed is important, I’m not saying speed’s not important, but we don’t feel that’s an issue for this particular player. When you watch him play in the SEC, you don’t walk away and have that concern.”
“He’s physical, he’s tough, he tackles, he has position flex, he’s well coached. Kirby’s as good of a coach – and probably him and Coach Saban are probably as good of secondary coaches from a technique standpoint and how they play the ball,” Caserio continued. “He played a lot on the line of scrimmage. He played a lot of press. We have a little bit more flexibility in our coverages, so maybe some of the things we are going to ask him to do are more conducive to his skillset. Good football player. He was probably one of the top makeup players that we identified throughout our process. He’s a football player. We’re drafting football players because we’re trying to put together a good football team. That’s where he fits.”
Lassiter is also no stranger to playing for a defensive minded head coach like DeMeco Ryans. As Caserio mentioned, the evaluation process for Lassiter starts with the fact that he played at Georgia under Kirby Smart – learning the skills of the secondary on the field but also the mentality of how to take tough coaching. Furthermore, playing in the SEC, he’s seen the type of players that he will on Sundays in the NFL. All together, it made a perfect match for both Lassiter and the Texans.
“I really fell in love with the coaching staff, just how wholesome they were from the beginning, not even knowing us. I felt the coaching staff was one I’d be able to click with and be able to play under,” Lassiter said. “Playing for Coach Ryans, I feel like it’ll be great. I was blessed to play under Coach Smart, and he’s very heavily a defensive minded guy. I feel like it’s going to be a pretty good transition. I’m excited to get up in there and learn under Coach Ryans.”
“Playing in the SEC, it’s like a direct pipeline to playing in the league. We played some of the best players in the country, played in the best conference and played the best football. I was blessed to be able to play in that the last two years, and it really helped me become a better man and a better football player,” he added. “My rookie season, I want to come in and earn the respect of my teammates and coaches and be able to show them I’m somebody who’s reliable and somebody you can count on to do whatever it is you want me to do.”
