The Houston Texans were lucky enough to see Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter fall to them at pick No. 42. Even as a second-round pick, most scouts believed he was a first-round talent who only fell because of a 4.6 40-time at Georgia’s Pro Day ahead of April’s draft.

On the field, Lassiter was better than advertised. In 16 games, Lassiter totaled three interceptions, a safety, 10 pass breakups and only allowed a 54.4% completion rating. He and third-round pick Calen Bullock became staples in coverage, helping Houston win a second straight AFC South division title and wild-card round victory.

But hindsight is always 20/20, meaning teams likely wouldn’t have cared about the slow 40 time if they knew what type of player he was going to transition into at the next level. It’s why in Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick’s re-draft from 2024, Baltimore swooped in at No. 30 to take the All-SEC defensive back. With a neeed for another cornerback and Nate Wiggins landing at pick No. 24, Lassiter was the only logical option to make.

“After a strong finish to his rookie campaign, Wiggins warranted a move up the board, but Baltimore lands a terrific secondary option,” Flick wrote. “Lassiter, a second-round pick by the Texans, finished 10th in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after notching three interceptions—tied for the third-most among rookies—and 10 passes defended in 2024. Fluid and competitive, Lassiter has the skill set of a Ravens corner.”

Houston struck gold in the secondary since Bullock, who led all rookies in interceptions with five last season, also snuck his way into the first round as the Panthers’ pick at No. 32.

“No rookie tallied more interceptions than Bullock, who tied for sixth league-wide with five. He added 54 tackles and 11 passes defended while finishing eighth in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting,” Flick wrote. “With Legette already selected and Carolina’s secondary in need of playmakers, Bullock’s turnover production and run defense fit a need and make sense to close the opening frame.”

So, with Lassiter and Bullock off the board and two picks in the second round, what direction did the Texans turn? At No. 42, fixing the offensive line seemed like a priority, so the Texans added initial San Francisco 49ers pick Dominick Puni as a potential long-term option at right guard. Results were promising in the Bay Area, so perhaps the same happens in Houston.

“The Texans were heavily connected to offensive linemen with the versatility to play tackle and guard in 2025, ultimately adding tackle Aireontae Ersery in the second round,” Flick wrote. “But Houston still needs a long-term answer at guard, and the 49ers appear to have one in Puni. After six college seasons at tackle, Puni kicked inside and played right guard for the 49ers. He adapted quickly, making the NFL’s All-Rookie team.”

As for addressing the secondary, Lassiter’s Georgia teammate, Tykee Smith, might have been a third-round pick, but he played like a top-30 defensive back last season in Tampa Bay. At pick No. 58, it’s a no-brainer for Houston to shore up its back end of the defense.

“The Texans addressed their offensive line earlier in the re-draft with guard Dominick Puni, but their secondary has gone untouched. And both of Houston’s actual defensive back selections—Lassiter and Bullock—went beforehand,” Flick wrote. “Smith, however, is a fitting substitute. He finished 16th in rookie of the year voting after notching 54 tackles and a pair of interceptions across 13 games last season.”

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans miss out on landing CB Kamari Lassiter in 2024 NFL re-draft