Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia defensive back Kamari Lassiter (DB23) works out during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Texans started their draft class this offseason with Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter, and he will get to go against last year’s top pick C.J. Stroud in practice all year long.
Lassiter, like Stroud, has a chance to be a plug-and-play kind of guy and make an immediate impact for Houston. Going up against Stroud in practice has helped Lassiter’s growth as he embarks on his first training camp.
“It just makes me so much better because my technique has to be sound every play because it is two-in-one. I am one-on-one with the receiver and then I have another match up with the quarterback, and the quarterback is elite,” Lassiter said. “So just knowing that if I make one wrong step or one wrong thing too long it may be over because whoever I am going against, whether it is Stefon, Nico [Collins], Tank [Dell], [John] Metchie, Noah [Brown], it doesn’t matter. Those guys are elite. So I have to be elite at the same time.”
Stroud has talked about the concept of “iron sharpens iron” and this is another example of that. Stroud’s level of play in practice helps make his teammates more prepared for the game on Sundays, and that’s crucial for a franchise quarterback.