The 2024 NFL Draft is behind us. The NFL offseason is now in full swing. Next up: Rookie Minicamps. Several NFL teams have already met for their minicamps in the last week. The Houston Texans will be welcoming all of their draft picks, undrafted free agent signings, and camp invite players for their rookie minicamp this week!
Rookie Minicamp activities for the Texans will start May 10th and conclude on the 11th. This is a great opportunity for each and every incoming rookie to make their presence known, proving to the team that they're ready to make an instant impact in year one for the team.
Let's dive into some of the new players who will be making their first appearance at rookie minicamp and could be primed to break out this season for the Texans!
Blake Fisher, OT Notre Dame
The Houston Texans are going to be asking a lot of rookie offensive tackle Blake Fisher. They lost George Fant to free agency, so their second round 2024 NFL Draft pick Fisher will likely immediately slot in as the team's starting right tackle.
This spring he posted an 85th percentile Burst Score and 80th percentile arm length at the NFL Combine. At 6'6", 310 pounds, Fisher possesses all the requisite traits to succeed in the NFL.
Fisher logged about 1,600 snaps over 25 starts in the last two seasons for the Fighting Irish, playing on the right side of Notre Dame's strong offensive line opposite first round pick, Joe Alt. While he was imperfect at times, allowing eight sacks over the last two years, Fisher consistently posted strong efficiency rates in pass and run blocking according to major charting services like Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions.
If you want to know more about Fisher, Drew Dougherty of Houston Texans TV shared a great "10 things to know" video on him specifically in the post below.
Kamari Lassiter, CB Georgia
The Texans let all 1200 of starting cornerback Steven Nelson's snaps walk out the door in free agency, so it wasn't a surprise when they selected a cornerback in round two this spring. General manager Nick Caserio did a great job signing a few cheap defensive backs on short deals to build depth, but Lassiter should be a foundational piece of the secondary immediately.
At Georgia, Lassiter allowed just a 38.5% completion rate when targeted and a passer rating below 50. He was a physical shut down corner who should play the exact same way in the pros. There are a few questions about his athleticism, but he more than makes up for it with technique at outside cornerback.
Derek Stingley Jr. will be the every down cornerback like Nelson last season, but Lassiter likely earns the other outside cornerback role with Desmond King in the slot. Jeff Okudah was signed on a cheap short-term deal, so he may see some significant snaps early too, but he should primarily just help the younger guys like Lassiter get up to speed and ready for a full-time role.
Calen Bullock, S USC
Calen Bullock was an absolute steal in round three for the Texans. He was an All-American as a sophomore safety for USC. He tallied well over 2000 snaps for the Trojans in just three seasons, consistently ranking near the top of national leaderboards in passes defended per target throughout his career there. And Bullock doesn't mind dipping his toes in run defense either, but his real strength comes with his insane range and coverage abilities.
Nara Weng, USC insider, speaks to Calen Bullock's game while he was at USC and how that translates to the pro level here in the post below:
It's clear that Bullock's "natural abilities and instincts" in coverage will make him the perfect fit for the Texans who can play him in multiple roles on the back end of their defense.
When I spoke with Calen Bullock at the NFL Combine I asked him about his range and his impressive coverage rate stats. Here's what he had to say:
Bullock's long history of experience at safety and his experience playing center field as a baseball player has helped mold him into one of the best roaming safeties to come out of college in the last few years. Expect him to be on the field early and often as a rookie for the Texans.
