AFC Notes: Ran Carthon, Kamari Lassiter, JC Latham, Texans, Titans

Texans

Texans second-round pick CB Kamari Lassiter introduced his alter-ego of “The Locksmith” to the Houston media, with his playstyle drawing praise from HC DeMeco Ryans following the draft. 

“I call myself the locksmith,” Lassiter said, via TexansWire.com. “I pride myself on having stuff on lock. I really wanted to get a lock [made] with the name ‘locksmith‘ on there.” 

“Kamari provides toughness,” Ryans said after the draft. “You talk about energy and the way he plays the game. He loves football. It shows on the tape. It jumps off the tape. He’s a versatile player. He can play inside, he can play outside.”

Titans

Titans GM Ran Carthon said S Amani Hooker approached him about wearing the green dot as their defensive signal caller.

“As soon as I got back to my desk (from a post-draft presser), I had a text from Amani saying he wanted (the green dot) and how can he go about getting it,” Carthon said, via TitansWire. “There’s a bunch of different ways to get there, doesn’t necessarily have to be a linebacker.”

Titans

Titans’ new OT JC Latham reflected on the moment he was selected at No. 7 overall, saying he felt relieved about the draft process finally being over. 

“It was crazy,” Latham said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s site. “I didn’t shed a tear. I just felt a sigh of relief, that this whole process is officially over. I am officially a professional player now. I almost shed a tear – my mom said my great grandma would be really proud of me, so that means a lot to me. It’s amazing (to be a Titan). I am ready to get to work. It means a lot for a team, an organization to trust me with the pick and I want to build on that trust, build on that foundation, and hit the ground running.”

Titans HC Brian Callahan was impressed by Latham’s size and mobility and feels he makes their offensive line a “physically imposing” group. 

“There’s not many people that walk the earth that are his height and weight and can move at his fluidity,” Callahan said. “He’s a really unique player which is why he gets picked in the top seven picks of the draft. I’m just—I can’t wait to get him out there. He makes us a physically imposing, really left side of our offensive line when you put him with Peter (Skoronski) and Cush (Lloyd Cushenberry) and those guys. We’ve kind of taken some nice steps into really improving that unit.”

Latham went over different blocking techniques with Callahan during the pre-draft process and is ready to line up at left tackle. 

“I sat down one-on-one with (coach Callahan), just going over different techniques, pass pro, run blocking,” Latham said. “And then getting background information on who we both were, and then talking about the potential I have, and how I can capitalize on the ability I’ve been given. Absolutely (I can play left tackle). I was trained at left all my life, and I get to Bama and Evan Neal, a top 10 pick, he was at left so I went to right. … Going back to left, I’ve been training all this offseason, so I’m ready to go.”