How much better are the Houston Texans entering 2024? Most national pundits have them as an AFC contender so long as reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud can stay healthy.
Even if a sophomore slump were to carry weight with Stroud, Houston became aggressive in free agency when landing premier talent. Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs was the headliner, but the trade for Bengals running back Joe Mixon and the signing of former Vikings star Danielle Hunter are far from lackluster moves.
With nine new players joining the squad via the 2024 NFL, Houston seems poised to remain the front-runners for the AFC South division title. NFL.com recently unveiled its thoughts on all 32 teams heading into minicamp and said Houston likely would have rathered one of the two cornerbacks selected before settling on Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter with the No. 42 pick.
In March, the Texans traded the No. 23 pick (and No. 232) to the Vikings for second- and sixth-round picks in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025. That already paid off in the addition of Stefon Diggs, who was acquired from Buffalo in exchange for that 2025 choice. But in terms of the 2024 second-rounder (No. 42 overall), the board cruelly didn’t appear to set up in Houston’s favor. The Texans needed cornerback help and saw the Eagles and Saints trade in front of them to take first-round-caliber talents Cooper DeJean (No. 40) and Kool-Aid McKinstry (No. 41). The Texans wound up taking cornerback Kamari Lassiter from Georgia. – NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal
DeJean and McKinstry were both considered first-round talents who fell due to injury. DeJean, a unanimous All-American and standout returner, suffered a broken leg in November and missed the remainder of Iowa’s regular season.
McKinstry, a three-year starter at Alabama, suffered a Jones fracture weeks before the scouting combine and did not participate in drills, though he did have a formal meeting with the Texans while in Indianapolis. McKinstry later impressed at Alabama’s pro day with a 4.47 40-time.
Lassiter, who fell down draft boards after running a 4.6 40-time at Georgia’s pro day, was a fan favorite to land with Houston given his aggressive play style. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans loves defensive backs willing to tackle and play the run.
A two-year starter for the Bulldogs, Lasiter earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 after finishing with a career-high eight pass breakups. He also offers position flexibility given his experience playing on the boundary and the nickel.
“He can play inside, he can play outside,” Ryans said. “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.”
Maybe Houston would have leaned in favor of McKinstry over Lassiter, but it doesn’t make the pick wrong. Time will tell if the board hurt or helped the Texans land another top-level defensive back for a revamped secondary.