Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter has projected as a first-round election ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, but his stock has fallen with the event now just over two weeks away.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently released his Top-50 Big Board of prospects and had Lassiter listed at No. 51 in the rankings. That's 15 spots below where Jeremiah previously had him, which was at No. 36.
That obviously puts him well out of the first round, projecting more as a mid-late second-round prospect.
So, after all of the hype Lassiter garnered and the tape he put up to receive this recognition, what exactly is the reason for the drop? That seems to lie in his unimpressive overall speed of 4.5 seconds of the 40-yard dash and the fact he elected not to participate in the drill at the NFL Combine.
Those things could hurt him and cause him to go lower than initially expected when teams hit the clock on April 25.
Despite this, Lassiter brings a lot of other positive aspects from a tangibles and an intangibles perspective that scouts should be impressed with, including his marked aggressiveness at the catch point, footwork and ability to read the receiver's eyes.
Lassiter finished out the 2023 season with 37 total tackles (21 solo), 8 passes defended and half of a sack.
It will be interesting to see which team is his landing spot as he takes the next step in his career and if he can overcome his shortcomings on the highest stage football has to offer.
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