Defensive Spotlight: Kamari Lassiter's moment has arrived

Before the 2025 NFL season began, if you were told that a cornerback of the Houston Texans would be making a significant leap from where he was at the end of the 2024 season, you probably would've jumped to Derek Stingley Jr. Now Stingley was an All-Pro in 2024, so any leap he could make would've vaulted him into the top spot on the Best Cornerback Alive totem pole. Thus far in 2025, that hasn't happened for Stingley. But what has happened is that despite staying under the radar, Kamari Lassiter is emerging as one of the best young defensive backs in the entire National Football League. And by the way, his nickname -- "The Locksmith" -- is top-tier and deserves way more love than it's getting. On a defense that boasts as much talent as the Texans, it would be easy to remain an afterthought. After all, Lassiter needs to compete with more established stars like Stingley, Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter and Jalen Pitre for recognition. But Lassiter is only 22 years old, and it's clear after nine weeks, his t