'He's a dawg': DeMeco Ryans praises Texans rookie CB Kamari Lassiter

When the Houston Texans elected to draft cornerback Kamari Lassiter out of Georgia last April, scouts from opposing teams groaned at the notion.

Sometimes, players fit schemes in near-flawless fashion. Among the scouting community, Lassiter was that for DeMeco Ryans’ man-heavy ‘SWARM’ approach in coverage.

Known for his physical demeanor at the line of scrimmage and ability to rattle receivers, Lassiter excelled during OTAs. He consistently stayed the course with Nico Collins and Tank Dell in coverage. He broke up a pair of passes from C.J. Stroud intended for Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs.

Four practices into training camp and Lassiter hasn’t missed a beat. After a rocky start on Wednesday during 7-on-7 drills against Dell, the 6-foot defender rebounded during team drills over the weekend.

On Monday, he broke up another pass headed for Diggs during team drills like it was natural. The difference? One player is a six-time 1000-yard pass-catcher.

The other has yet to play a snap on Sundays.

“He could be ready. He might even be ready now,” Diggs said of Lassiter following Monday’s practice. “Technique is sound, seeking knowledge, wants to compete at a high level, and he ain’t running from it. I’m talking my junk to him a little bit, just to get him going, and he’s right there. He’s standing 10 toes down. Something you like to see in young players is that confidence.”

Lassiter, the No. 42 overall pick from the 2024 draft, technically serves as Houston’s top selection. The Texans initially traded back from No. 25 to acquire enough draft capital to trade for Diggs from Buffalo.

Even if he’s a second-round pick, Lassiter looks like a Day 1 starter. Some scouts believed he would have garnered interest in the first round if not for posting a 4.6 40-time at Georgia’s Pro Day.

That never scared off Houston from making Lassiter a priority. When scouting, Ryans saw a player who not only fit the mold for his defense, but also the locker room’s internal persona.

“I love Kamari,” Dell said Friday following practice. “He’s a dawg. I know he gets even better when he puts on pads. I was watching his tape a minute ago and I was watching when we drafted him and you know he’s a dog when he’s got his pads on.”

In practice over the past several days, it’s been more of the same.

“He’s locked in focused, intense, and you don’t notice it much because he’s always doing his job,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s always where he should be. He’s always in position. As a rookie, that says a lot.

“He’s exactly the guy we saw from the Georgia film. Dialed in. A lot of people call him a dawg; he’s a dawg.”