Fran Brown’s impact on Kamari Lassiter’s performance at Texans minicamp

There aren’t many cornerbacks who can say they made a defensive stop on an All-Pro receiver as a rookie, but Kamari Lassiter added his name to the list on the second day of mandatory minicamp with the Houston Texans.

In the first seven-on-seven play, Lassiter lined up in front of Stefon Diggs. The veteran seemed to have the advantage off the line of scrimmage. Diggs was able to find space in defensive coverage, which gave quarterback CJ Stroud the confidence to attempt a pass. However, Lassiter recovered and recorded his first of two assists on the day.

His success earned him the SWARM Player of the Day award from coach DeMeco Ryans. Still, Lassiter’s play on Diggs is a testament to the lessons he learned under former defensive backs coach Fran Brown at the University of Georgia.

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“He’s competitive,” Brown told Texans Daily exclusively as head coach of Syracuse University. “I would say him and Brock Bowers were the most competitive, like on another level. That’s what he wants to do, and he’s tough.”

Lassiter and Brown developed a close relationship during their two seasons together at Georgia. However, before Lassiter started joking about Brown’s baldness, both sides had to put their differences aside after a slightly contentious start to the 2022 season.

They briefly butted heads, but because of Lassiter’s talent and passion, Brown didn’t care whether the second-year cornerback liked him or not. His only message was to listen and accept his teachings, because Brown believed his training could make Lassiter a pro.

Lassiter held a private meeting with Brown to express his remorse. After their discussion, they began working on the same deal, and the result gave the Texans the confidence to draft Lassiter with the No. 42 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in April.

Under Brown, Lassiter developed into a fundamentally sound cornerback who helped the Georgia Bulldogs build one of the best defenses in the country. He recorded 75 tackles, 12 pass deflections, 8.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

In their first season together, Lassiter played an integral role in helping the Bulldogs finish the 2022 season as national champions in the midst of their undefeated campaign.

Brown’s teachings led to Lassiter’s development as a versatile cornerback capable of playing on the outside or in the slot – living up to his nickname “the Locksmith.”

“He just competed until the end,” Brown said. “He kept playing, and he kept getting better – every game. Throughout his sophomore year, he just kept getting better.

“He stayed consistent and continued to want to be better. He kept asking for advice on how to become better. He would come early in the morning to meet with me. He would bring the guys in and hold them accountable. He took over the room, and you knew it was him.

Upon hearing the news that the Texans had drafted Lassiter, maintaining his faith and hard work in the NFL was Brown’s final lesson for his former defensive back.

He believes Lassiter can have sustained success over the course of his career, especially once he learns his team’s defensive playbook and his opponents’ tendencies.

Lassiter’s defensive stop on Diggs is a small sample size that demonstrates why he will enter training camp with the best chance of starting opposite Derek Stingley Jr. in Week 1 of the 2024 season. of mandatory minicamp, Lassiter recorded three assists while playing the majority of his practice snaps with the presumptive first team.

Ryans has loved Lassiter’s competitive intensity since the start of rookie minicamp. Every time Lassiter makes a play that impresses Ryans, it reminds him that his early career success stems from the hard work he put in alongside Brown on Georgia’s practice fields.

“Coach Fran has been a very influential coach for me,” Lassiter said. “I would say he really challenged me on and off the field to become a better man, a better football player, and he really pushed me to my limits.

“I would say every time he came in he really worked with me, he challenged me every day. We set goals and his goal was to become a head coach one day, and my goal was to get drafted. We just kind of worked with each other and we were able to achieve those goals.”

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Follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at@CotyDavis_24.