HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans addressed some needs in the NFL draft despite not having a first-round pick this year.
A year after selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud second overall and trading up to get defensive end Will Anderson Jr. with the following pick, the Texans didn’t have a pick in this draft until No. 42 in the second round.
After beefing up their offense significantly by trading for star receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon this offseason, the Texans used their early draft picks to improve their secondary.
They did that by taking Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter with the 42nd pick and adding USC safety Calen Bullock in the third round at No. 78. Both could move into the starting lineup immediately with Houston looking to upgrade the cornerback spot opposite Derek Stingley Jr., the third overall pick in 2022, and the free safety position to play with strong safety Jalen Pitre, a second-round pick in 2022.
The additions should bolster a defense which ranked 23rd in the NFL last season by allowing 234.1 yards passing a game.
General manager Nick Caserio raved about Lassiter, who won two national championships with the Bulldogs.
“Lassiter has position flexed — he’s played in the perimeter, played inside the formation,” Caserio said. “I’d say he plays with a linebacker-type mentality. He’s a corner, but he tackles. He’s tough, he’s physical.”
Lassiter started 29 games combined in his last two seasons at Georgia where he broke up eight passes and had 3½ tackles for losses last season. His draft stock might have fallen because of concerns about his speed after he ran an unofficial 4.60 40-yard dash at Georgia’s pro day.
“I’m sure there will be a question about his speed, and how fast he ran,” Caserio said. “But he’s not slow. The speed really wasn’t a concern of ours. The time is the time. We’re drafting football players; we’re not drafting track teams… when you watch him play in the SEC, you don’t walk away and have that concern.”
Coach DeMeco Ryans constantly preaches the importance of a relentless mindset to his team — and particularly his defense. He said Lassiter is the perfect example of that.
“Kamari provides toughness,” Ryans said Saturday. “You talk about energy and the way he plays the game — he loves football … he’s everything that our team is about.”
Bullock was a three-year starter for the Trojans where he had nine interceptions — two that were returned for touchdowns — and 151 tackles.
“He’s rangy,” Caserio said. “He covers ground, he plays the ball well. He has good movement skills for a safety. He started his career as a corner. Not saying he’s a corner, but he moves well for his size.”
The Texans chose Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher with their other pick in the second round at No. 59. Fisher is a versatile lineman after playing both left and right tackle in his college career.
“I think we’ve always been a big believer (that) you can’t have enough tackles on your football team,” Caserio said.
Houston reunited Stroud with his former college teammate when it drafted Ohio State tight end Cade Stover in the fourth round. The 6-foot-4, 251-pound Stover, who spent his first year as a linebacker, had 982 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns combined in his last two seasons with the Buckeyes.
Stroud posted a picture on social media of the two of them celebrating in the end zone while at Ohio State soon after he was drafted Saturday.
“This guy is everything you want in a football player,” Caserio said. “This is probably one of our favorite football players in the entire draft.”
The Texans added to their defense in the sixth round with Oregon safety turned linebacker Jamal Hill. He had 147 tackles, two interceptions and four forced fumbles in five seasons with the Ducks.
Later in the sixth round, the Texans nabbed another player who spent five seasons in college in running back Jawhar Jordan. He spent two seasons at Syracuse before spending his last three seasons at Louisville where he ran for a career-best 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns last year.
Houston wrapped up the draft by taking USC defensive end Solomon Byrd and Auburn defensive tackle Marcus Harris and Michigan offensive tackle LaDarius Henderson in the seventh round.
Byrd was in college for a whopping six seasons after spending four seasons at Wyoming and two seasons with the Trojans. Harris played at Kansas for two seasons before spending the last three years at Auburn. Henderson spent four seasons at Arizona State before finishing with one season at Michigan.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
A Houston Texans fan attends the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Houston Texans' Christian Harris announces a pick for the Houston Texans during the second night of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
TORONTO (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning, Joe Ryan pitched a season-high seven innings and the Minnesota Twins won for the 16th time in 18 games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Friday night.
Carlos Correa had two hits and scored twice as the Twins won for the ninth time in their past 13 games in Toronto.
Jose Miranda added an RBI single as the Twins, who successfully brought their lucky sausage across the Canadian border, extended their road winning streak to seven.
Santana was struck on the helmet by the sausage as he returned to the dugout following his home run.
“When you win, you have fun,” Santana said. “We have a great team, we’re playing good. We have to keep continuing to play and take it one day at a time, one game at a time. That’s why we’re playing good now.”
Ryan (2-2) allowed one run and six hits for his first victory in three starts. He struck out seven and did not give up a walk.
“Joe worked through their lineup really well and then got stronger, it looked like, in the sixth and seventh innings,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Jhoan Duran worked the eighth and Griffin Jax pitched the ninth for his fifth save in seven chances.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits, including his second home run, but the Blue Jays lost for the sixth time in eight games. Toronto won at Philadelphia on Wednesday but the Blue Jays haven’t won back-to-back games since home wins over the Dodgers on April 28 and Kansas City on April 29.
Kiner-Falefa cut the deficit to one with an RBI single off Jax in the ninth but Ernie Clement stranded the tying run at third when his liner hit Jax and caromed to Santana at first base.
Santana’s leadoff homer against Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-3) gave the Twins at least one home run in 18 consecutive games in Toronto, extending the second-longest such streak in team history. Minnesota homered in 21 straight games at Kansas City between July 30, 1998 and Aug. 25, 2001.
Santana’s homer was his fifth.
“That was obviously one of the biggest swings of the game,” Baldelli said.
Santana has 14 home runs and 37 RBIs in 81 career games against Toronto.
“Good pitch to Santana but a better swing on it for the home run,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Kikuchi allowed two runs and four hits in a season-high eight innings and is winless in three starts.
“Overall, he was absolutely fantastic,” Schneider said. “Eight innings against a good lineup and he was on his game.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays OFs George Springer and Kevin Kiermaier were both held out of the starting lineup because of an illness. … Schneider said RHP Yimi García (back) was available Friday. García last pitched April 28.
UP NEXT
RHP Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.78 ERA) starts for Toronto on Saturday against Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 1.74). Gausman has a 6.35 ERA in 11 career games against Minnesota.
This story has been changed to correct the number of hits allowed by Ryan to six.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler gestures after his RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Jhoan Duran reacts after the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler watches his RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) strikes out in the seventh inning of the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) reacts after the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Griffin Jax point to an umpire during the ninth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa celebrates the team's win against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa throws to first for the out on Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen (9) and pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) meet on the mound during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins catcher Christian Vazquez (8) and shortstop Carlos Correa (4) lie in front of the team as players pose for a photo to celebrate their win against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canadian cricket team captain Saad Bin Zafar waves as he's flanked by teammates Nicholas Kirton, left, and Jeremy Gordon after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, before the Toronto Blue Jays' baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Toronto on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canadian cricket team captain Saad Bin Zafar leads teammates Nicholas Kirton, middle, and Jeremy Gordon, right, to the mound ahead of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Toronto Blue Jays' baseeball game against the Minnesota Twins in Toronto on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins' Manuel Margot (13) reacts after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to a Minnesota Twins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan throws to a Toronto Blue Jays batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro reaches third base on an RBI single by Jose Miranda against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi prepares to take the mound for the team's baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa (7) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana (30) watches his solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Toronto. (Cole Burtson/The Canadian Press via AP)
