Trading up for Will Anderson, Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft proved to be worth it for the Houston Texans. Landing him at No. 3 overall, while also taking C.J. Stroud at No. 2, gave them a building block on offense and defense.
They each won the NFL Rookie of the Year award for their respective side of the ball, but the move left them without a pick in Round 1 this year. That proved to be no issue for them as they wound up taking Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter with their first selection at No. 42 overall.
Lassiter has been a starter since arriving in Houston and while he doesn’t get the same credit as Derek Stingley Jr., Lassiter is actually allowing a lower catch rate. According to The 33rd Team, he’s currently first in the NFL, allowing just 42 percent of the passes thrown his way to be completed.
DBs with the lowest Catch Rate Allowed this season 🔒
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 11, 2024
1. Kamari Lassiter - 42.0%
2. Nate Wiggins - 43.8%
3. Derek Stingley Jr. - 44.6%
4. Donte Jackson - 49.1%
5. Kristian Fulton - 50.0%
6. Jakorian Bennett - 51.1%
7. Jaylon Johnson - 51.2%
8. Denzel Ward - 51.9%
9. Jaycee Horn… https://t.co/muJHduiHQn pic.twitter.com/nVJlKYsWwc
Lassiter has started 10 games and has 41 tackles, eight pass defenses, and three interceptions. He missed two games this season due to injury. He was forced to sit out against the New England Patriots in Week 6 with a shoulder injury and missed the Week 11 showdown with the Dallas Cowboys due to a concussion.
That concussion came in the loss to Detroit and the secondary looked far less formidable with him out of the lineup.
Houston received some unfortunate news Wednesday when it was announced that safety Jalen Pitre, another young stud in their defensive backfield, would not be back in 2024. The emergence of Lassiter across from Stingley should give them hope they can get by this year — and confidence that they can be elite when fully healthy.