When Head Coach DeMeco Ryans is preparing for the draft, one of his favorite ways to evaluate a prospect is to talk to other players about him. He likes to pick their brains during the Senior Bowl, combine and when the Texans bring in 30 players for visits to NRG Stadium.
Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter was a prospect Ryans liked leading up to this year’s draft. The more tape Ryans watched, the more impressed he was. Ryans could see the tangibles – Lassiter’s natural talent, work ethic and performance in games. But he wanted to dig deeper, much deeper. Ryans spoke with Lassiter’s teammates. He also spoke with opponents.
And what kind of scouting reports did Lassiter’s teammates and opponents provide Ryans?
“Glowing, just glowing,” Ryans said, glowing.
Armed with those glowing reports, Ryans found another Lassiter fan in Executive Vice President/General Manager Nick Caserio. Then defensive coordinator Matt Burke climbed on board. Finally, the Texans had to watch while 41 players, including five cornerbacks, were selected. When Lassiter was still available at 42, he quickly became a Texan. And Lassiter certainly hasn’t disappointed.
“Everything has been positive with Kamari,” Ryans said during training camp. “He’s exactly the guy we saw from the Georgia film. (He’s) dialed in, and a lot of people call him a ‘dog.’ He is a dog. Just remember the Georgia tape and how physical he was when it came to tackling. Encouraged with where he is. Starting out such a young career and where he is right now in training camp. I think he’ll continue to ascend and get better.”
The coaches love Lassiter’s intangibles – competitiveness, intelligence, physicality and instincts. He’s a hard worker who wants to learn. He’s a winner who came from the best college program in the country.
“You see that (dog) mentality in his eyes and in his demeanor,” Ryans said. “In the meeting room, he’s locked in. You can see…
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