Kamari Lassiter: NFL Nickel

There’s a lot to like about Georgia cornerback (CB) Kamari Lassiter.

-High Effort level

-Physical

-Aggressive nature

-Great in pass and run support

Those are perhaps the reasons over 20% of the NFL Draft Community sees him as a first-round candidate in the 2024 NFL Draft. Yahoo Sports, Walter Football, CBS, The Athletic, Pro Football Network, SB Nation, 247 Sports, Barstool Sports, Sporting News and Bleacher Report have all put that big grade on him (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

No doubt, Lassiter is one of the more challenging evaluations because he does have those aforementioned desirable traits.

However, it’s the other stuff that gives me great pause.

Slow to react

These are not words anyone wants to hear when it comes to cornerbacks. Yet, this showed up several times on this five-game block of film from 2022. It showed up against Tennessee, Oregon, and LSU.

It shows up on routes that feature a sharp change of direction.

The NFL is full of fast receivers who make sudden and crisp changes of direction – – and receivers who make double moves. It’s imperative for starting corners to be able to match these changes of direction.

That’s not Lassiter.

Getting beat downfield

Lassiter can turn, run, and stay in phase with receivers on pure straight-line vertical routes in press-man coverage. The issue is he didn’t make any plays. Either the passes were caught or overthrown.

If receivers gave him a move off the line of scrimmage, he fell immediately into trail position and didn’t show the necessary recovery speed despite his effort.

This Georgia corner tends to play the receiver and not the ball, and when he did look back, he seemed to lose the receiver.

A lack of technique showed up on passes downfield. It could even look like he was guessing and even once he mistimed his jump. His only real chance to win when matched up is by being physical.

So where does he fit?

The thing about projecting talent in the draft is not just being able to identify what prospects can’t do, but also what they can do and where they have the most potential.

Lassiter is also one of the best corners I’ve ever seen in support.

While I don’t think he’s a starting corner in the NFL, I do think he would make a nice nickel (defensive back who lines up over the slot receiver when offenses play three wide receivers). Essentially, this is the No. 3 corner on a roster.

Lassiter is like another run defender down by the line of scrimmage and he seemed to stay tight on basic straight-line concept routes.

That’s his best chance at the next level – – and again I really like him – – but only at this position and at the right value. Due to his nature, he also has special teams upside.

#3 Kamari Lassiter 6-foot-0, 180 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Fall 2023 Grade: Fourth-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 24.3% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of November 9, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Game film reviewed (2022): Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Oregon, and LSU (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 38 tackles (30 solo), 4 passes defended, 0 INT, 0.5 sack

NFL comparable: Brian Poole

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Lanky and muscular framed corner with long arms and decent one-gear straight-line speed who excels at maintaining underneath routes. Quick reactions near the line of scrimmage. Plays like football is important to him. Chases down in support. Lined up in man (press/off balance) and zone. Acceleration is shown initially when turning and running to carry routes and coming back downhill. Slightly labors to change direction. Some tightness. Tends to give up a little too much cushion and is too reactive at route break points. Lack of ball instincts. More of a tackle-after-the-fact type than a playmaker. Blitzing upside in terms of generating some pressure. Great against the run.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. How does he look when covering routes with breakpoints?

2. How many passes defended and intercepted?

3. Does he show second gear?

4. Recovery speed?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.