‘Always thought I could play at highest level,’ Texans ‘sharp’ top pick Kamari Lassiter learning at rookie minicamp

HOUSTON – Backpedaling smoothly, Kamari Lassiter retreated out of his stance and reacted instinctively to break on the football during his first NFL practice.

As the Texans’ top draft pick and his fellow first-year players got up to speed during a rookie minicamp Friday morning, Lassiter was intent on soaking up as much knowledge as possible.

It was a learning environment for Lassiter, the Texans’ second-round draft pick from Georgia, and a group of 18 players, including nine draft selections, six undrafted rookies and three tryout players. With a small amount of players, there was a lot of individual instruction for each rookie.

Signed to a four-year, $9.014 million contract that includes a $3.376 million signing bonus, Lassiter has high expectations for himself.

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“I feel like I just always want to prove myself right,” Lassiter said. “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.”

From adjusting to humid Houston weather to learning the playbook to his way around NRG Stadium, to, apparently, that coach DeMeco Ryans attended Southeastern Conference rival Alabama, Lassiter is determined to get off to a fast start.

The Texans conclude their two-day rookie minicamp Saturday. For an entire practice open to reporters, the rookies, including Lassiter, were involved in drills in a low-key, hour-long practice.

More difficult challenges are ahead for Lassiter, who’s expected to compete for immediate playing time at nickel with veterans Desmond King and Myles Bryant and outside corner with Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson. Okudah is currently the projected starter opposite standout cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Lassiter could wind up playing more than one position, which is the kind of versatility the Texans envisioned from him when they drafted him 42nd overall. He has played both positions in college.

“With Kamari, he’s a very sharp young man,” Ryans said. “He can play inside and he can play 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.”

After being drafted by the Texans, Lassiter exchanged text messages with Stingley, who emerged as a Pro Bowl alternate last season as he intercepted five passes. Stingley’s message to Lassiter: “Let’s get to work.”

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Lassiter yielded the lowest amount of passing yards last season in college football, according to Pro Football Focus analytics. He did a great job shadowing and limiting the production of first-round wide receivers Malik Nabers (LSU, New York Giants) and Xavier Legette (South Carolina, Carolina Panthers).

Wherever he winds up lining up, Lassiter is comfortable.

“I play football,” Lassiter said. “I play defense wherever they put me at. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. I just think it was some of the things that were instilled in me at a young age. The best ability is availability, just being able to be versatile and do whatever the team needs you to do.

Lassiter was the Texans’ first draft pick in their rookie class this season after the defending AFC South champions traded their first-round draft pick to the Minnesota Vikings.

“Kamari provides toughness,” Ryans said. “You talk about energy and the way he plays the game. He loves football. It shows on the tape. It jumps off the tape. He’s a versatile player. He can play inside, he can play outside.

“You just talk about a guy who is a leader, a guy who works hard. He’s everything that our team is about. You talk about everything being relentless and attacking. With the relentless mindset every single day, that’s what Kamari brings.”

Lassiter won two national championships with the Bulldogs.

Lassiter (6-foot, 180 pounds, 4.64 speed in the 40-yard dash) was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection. Lassiter had a foot injury when he tested and normally runs in the 4.5 range.

“We’re drafting football players, we’re not drafting track teams,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “I know speed is important. I’m not saying speed is not important. 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.”

Lassiter yielded only 136 passing yards and no touchdowns on 15 receptions off 37 targets last season to rank first in the NCAA among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Lassiter has a special silver chain with an engraved lock with ‘K3′ stenciled in the middle.

“I call myself The Locksmith,’” Lassiter said. “I pride myself on having stuff on lock. I really wanted to get a lock with the name ‘Locksmith’ on there.”

There will come a time when the Texans will have decisions to make on where Lassiter ultimately lines up as they gauge how ready he is to play as a rookie.

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For now, it’s about preparing himself for those competitions.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.

“I just want to show everyone that I want to earn the respect of my teammates and my coaches,” Lassiter said. “I just want to come in here and do whatever I can to help the team. I want to help us be successful and whatever that is, I’m going to do it.

“This is a high culture program. The standard is the standard here. You have a bunch of guys who want to get better, a bunch of guys who have the right mentality, the right mindset, group of guys who really just want to win.”

Standing on the Texans’ practice field during a water break, Lassiter said it truly sunk in that he’s arrived in the NFL. It’s the first of many awaiting him.

“I had a wow moment actually,” Lassiter said. “I kind of had a second just to kind of take it all in. I was getting some water, and I was like, ‘Dang, I’m really playing for the Houston Texans.’ This was my dream. I’m getting to play football at the highest level. It’s a great feeling.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.