Latest news with #Lassiter
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans CB Kamari Lassiter 'hates Florida' but loves new Gator teammate CJ. Gardner-Johnson
Texans CB Kamari Lassiter 'hates Florida' but loves new Gator teammate CJ. Gardner-Johnson Kamari Lassiter hates the University of Florida, but he loves what C.J. Gardner-Johnson will bring to the Houston Texans' secondary this fall. It's expected for the second-year cornerback out of Georgia to despise his rival school, especially after the dominance in recent years from the Bulldogs in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. Still, talent comes from the Southeastern Conference each year. Once in the league, the only colors that matter are the ones on Sundays. Lassiter knows that despite being a Gator, Gardner-Johnson adds a spark to a secondary looking to become the top unit in 2025. "He's one hell of a ball player. He really understands the game. He's played for a long time and he comes with his own energy," Lassiter said following Tuesday's OTA practice. "He just comes with his own passion and it affects the players around him. You can see, just watching this film, how his energy and how he talks and how he plays the game, it affects people around him, whether it's on the opposite side of the ball or whether it's on his side of the ball.' Acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Keynon Green and a 2026 fifth-round pick, Gardner-Johnson should provide more stability opposite second-year starter Calen Bullock. He also joins a group of veterans in a young core who understand the pathway toward postseason success, including Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon, All-Pro defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Last season, Houston put together a pass defense that ranked sixth in passing yards allowed (201) and 13th in scoring defense (21.9). Gardner-Johnson, who totaled 12 interceptions during two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2024, should be a welcome name to a unit that finished top three in turnovers last season. While Florida and Georgia fans can't coexist, Lassiter is sure that he and Gardner-Johnson can put down the conference hatred in college if it leads to a conference title in the NFL. The Texans open the regular season against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans Kamari Lassiter sneaks onto Pro Football Focus' top 32 CBs list for 2025
Texans Kamari Lassiter sneaks onto Pro Football Focus' top 32 CBs list for 2025 Kamari Lassiter set the tone for No. 2 cornerbacks during his rookie season with the Houston Texans. Some could argue he was the top rookie defensive back after shutting down quality No. 2 receivers like Chicago's Rome Odunze and Los Angeles' Quinten Johnston in the playoffs. Does Pro Football Focus agree? Not entirely. While the former second-round pick made the list of the top 32 cornerbacks in the league for this fall, he appeared at No. 31, just one spot higher than Dallas Cowboys star Daron Bland. "There were several great rookie seasons in 2024, and Lassiter's was arguably right behind those of Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell," PFF's John Kosko wrote. "He ranked third among rookies in PFF advanced coverage grade and 15th among all cornerbacks. He also led the NFL with a 45.2% completion rate allowed." Drafted 42nd overall last season, Lassiter arguably was the best rookie defender in his class. According to The 33rd team, from Week 9 on, the former Georgia standout did not allow more than 50 yards in coverage in a game. He also forced two interceptions, a 50% completion rate and only gave up 21.7 yards per outing. In 16 games, Lassiter totaled three interceptions, a safety, 10 pass breakups and only allowed a 54.4% completion rating. He and third-round pick Calen Bullock became staples in coverage, helping Houston win a second straight AFC South division title and postseason victory. Philadelphia's Cooper DeJean ranked 11th and led all rookie cornerbacks while his teammate, Quinyon Mitchell, ranked inside the top 20 at No. 16. The Texans open the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Houston Texans Star Defender Derek Stingley Jr. Earns Eye-Popping Ranking
Houston Texans Star Defender Derek Stingley Jr. Earns Eye-Popping Ranking originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. earned the No. 5 ranking in Pro Football Focus's cornerback rankings ahead of the 2025 NFL season, further solidifying his status among the league's most productive defensive backs. Advertisement Although Stingley's rookie season was stained by injury, he's generated a PFF coverage grade of 90.3 over the last two seasons — the best mark among all cornerbacks. PFF also noted Stingley's style of play. A "high-risk, high-reward brand of football" that earned the 2022 No. 3 overall pick a league high 12 interceptions over the past two years. Stingley recently became the highest paid cornerback in the league after signing a three-year, $90 million contract in March. During the 2024 campaign, Stingley allowed a league-best 39.6 passer rating when targeted, and his seven interceptions led all cornerbacks. He also received votes for Defensive Player of the Year and was named to PFF's top 25 players under 25 list. Advertisement Regardless of his No. 5 spot in the cornerback rankings, some fans were still unsatisfied. "Anybody who still has Sauce over Stingley doesn't watch football," one user said. "It's Stingley and Surtain, and then everyone else. Get serious PFF," another said. Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) runs onto the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Taormina-Imagn Images Stingley wasn't the only defensive back from the Texans to make PFF's list. Kamari Lassiter ranked 31st among the league's corners. Lassiter ranked third among rookies in PFF advanced coverage grade and he was 15th among all cornerbacks. He also led the NFL with a 45.2% completion rate allowed. PFF compared Lassiter's rookie season with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell. Advertisement As the 2025 season approaches, both Stingley and Lassiter will look to anchor the Texans' defense. Stingley's consistent play over the past two seasons and Lassiter's exciting room for growth will be key to the Texans' success. Related: Texans Predicted to Land Proven Veteran to Protect C.J. Stroud This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 33rd Team names Texans CB Kamari Lassiter a 2025 breakout star in the AFC
Who is the next breakout star for the Houston Texans this fall? According to one anlayst, it's another defensive back. The 33rd Team's Steve Palazzolo recently listed off his breakout star for all 16 AFC rosters entering 2025. While third-round pick Jaylin Noel was considered as an option, the longtime analyst said that second-year defensive back Kamari Lassiter has everything to become a staple in coverage as a No. 1 shutdown defender. Advertisement "As soon as the cornerback gets a reputation, they tend to get avoided. I'm not saying last year that people started realizing that Derek Stingley Jr. was good, but last year was the first time he really started to look like, for consistent periods of time, the No. 3 overall pick," Palazzolo said. "He was outstanding last year. "More teams are going to be afraid of Stingley this year, which means Lassiter is going to get targeted a lot more...I think he'll get a lot of plays on the ball and he'll have a lot of opportunities. He's going to get targeted a lot this year but I like him a lot as a player. If he plays well, having the 1-2 punch of Stingley and Lassiter with that pass rush, does give the defense No. 1 defense type potential." Drafted 42nd overall last season, Lassiter arguably was the best rookie defender in his class. According to The 33rd team, from Week 9 on, the former Georgia standout did not allow more than 50 yards in coverage in a game. He also forced two interceptions, a 50% completion rate and only gave up 21.7 yards per outing. Advertisement In 16 games, Lassiter totaled three interceptions, a safety, 10 pass breakups and only allowed a 54.4% completion rating. He and third-round pick Calen Bullock became staples in coverage, helping Houston win a second straight AFC South division title and wild-card round victory. "It's a big year for Lassiter and if I'm right here and he does break out and he does have a productive season, we're talking about the Texans having one of the league's best defenses." Lassiter, Stingley and the rest of the Texans' defense can prove that when they take the field in Week 1 at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: The 33rd Team names Texans CB Kamari Lassiter AFC 2025 breakout star
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
The 33rd Team names Texans CB Kamari Lassiter a 2025 breakout star in the AFC
The 33rd Team names Texans CB Kamari Lassiter a 2025 breakout star in the AFC Who is the next breakout star for the Houston Texans this fall? According to one anlayst, it's another defensive back. The 33rd Team's Steve Palazzolo recently listed off his breakout star for all 16 AFC rosters entering 2025. While third-round pick Jaylin Noel was considered as an option, the longtime analyst said that second-year defensive back Kamari Lassiter has everything to become a staple in coverage as a No. 1 shutdown defender. "As soon as the cornerback gets a reputation, they tend to get avoided. I'm not saying last year that people started realizing that Derek Stingley Jr. was good, but last year was the first time he really started to look like, for consistent periods of time, the No. 3 overall pick," Palazzolo said. "He was outstanding last year. "More teams are going to be afraid of Stingley this year, which means Lassiter is going to get targeted a lot more...I think he'll get a lot of plays on the ball and he'll have a lot of opportunities. He's going to get targeted a lot this year but I like him a lot as a player. If he plays well, having the 1-2 punch of Stingley and Lassiter with that pass rush, does give the defense No. 1 defense type potential." Drafted 42nd overall last season, Lassiter arguably was the best rookie defender in his class. According to The 33rd team, from Week 9 on, the former Georgia standout did not allow more than 50 yards in coverage in a game. He also forced two interceptions, a 50% completion rate and only gave up 21.7 yards per outing. In 16 games, Lassiter totaled three interceptions, a safety, 10 pass breakups and only allowed a 54.4% completion rating. He and third-round pick Calen Bullock became staples in coverage, helping Houston win a second straight AFC South division title and wild-card round victory. "It's a big year for Lassiter and if I'm right here and he does break out and he does have a productive season, we're talking about the Texans having one of the league's best defenses." Lassiter, Stingley and the rest of the Texans' defense can prove that when they take the field in Week 1 at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams.
