The Green Bay Packers are reshuffling their defense this offseason, and cornerback Kamari Lassiter is being viewed as a perfect fit for the team’s new look in the 2024 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen gave his perfect fits for 20 prospects ahead of the draft. The list included big names like Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders and Malik Nabers to the New York Giants.
Bowen also mentioned Lassiter as a perfect fit for the Packers with the 41st pick.
“The Packers already made a smart move in the secondary whey they added safety Xavier McKinney in free agency,” Bowen wrote. “Lassiter, who did not allow a touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage last season, is a fit in a Packers defense that will adjust its coverage tendencies under new coordinator Jeff Hafley.”
Kamari Lassiter Scouting Report
If the Packers want another cornerback, Lassiter could make sense as a Day 2 prospect.
Lassiter was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school in Alabama. Despite growing up in Tuscaloosa, he spurned Alabama for a chance to play for their SEC rival in the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs threw Lassiter onto the field as a freshman in a rotational role. By his final season, he had appeared in 44 games with 86 total tackles and 14 pass breakups. Along with two national titles, Lassiter left Georgia as a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023.
At over 5’11” and 186 pounds, Lassiter has solid size at the cornerback position. He consistently wins in press coverage with excellent physicality to jam and disrupt receivers. He’s instinctive on top of that, allowing him to jump routes and read the quarterbacks’ eyes effectively when playing zone.
However, Lassiter’s top-end play speed is a concern. Despite conflicting reports about his 40-yard dash time at Georgia’s pro day, the film shows a player who may not have the top-end speed to handle the NFL’s most explosive wideouts.
Still, given his physicality and instincts, Lassiter would be an ideal Day 2 pick for a team like the Packers.
Do the Packers Need a Cornerback?
Even if Lassiter is a perfect fit, cornerback isn’t the most pressing positional need for the Packers.
Jaire Alexander is hoping to have a bounce-back season after a roller coaster of a 2023 campaign. After being suspended for going rogue on a coin toss against the Carolina Panthers, Alexander became a playoff hero with a crucial interception in the playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys.
Brian Gutekunst shut down the possibility of the Packers trading Alexander this offseason. With new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley taking over, Alexander could go back to being a star in Green Bay’s defense.
The questions on the depth chart are who will play alongside Alexander. Keisean Nixon is expected to hold down the slot corner position after signing a three-year, $18 million extension.
The other outside corner spot will likely be an open competition between Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine. Stokes showed flashes as a rookie, but has struggled to stay healthy since. Meanwhile, Valentine showed intensity and playmaking ability throughout the year despite being a seventh-round rookie.
Corey Ballentine will primarily serve a special teams role, but held his own when asked to play corner last season. A backup slot corner might be a need, but there seems to be enough depth on the outside that the Packers may wait later in the draft for a cornerback than national media outlets are expecting.
