Former Alabama HS star talks leaving for Georgia, winning 2 titles

Kamari Lassiter played high school football in the University of Alabama’s backyard but left the state to sign with Georgia.

Two national championships later, he clearly is not regretting that move.

“I would say that this is everything I hoped for and more honestly,” the former American Christian star said at SEC Media Days this week in Nashville.

“Coming into Georgia, I wanted to prove myself right and show that I can play at a high level in the SEC. And you know, just coming in and the way that Georgia is pimping me both as a player and a man, I couldn’t really ask for much more.”

The 6-foot, 180-pound defensive back committed to the Bulldogs in 2020, choosing Georgia over Auburn, Clemson and Georgia Tech. Lassiter grew up in Savannah, Ga., before moving to Tuscaloosa when he was a freshman in high school.

In 2021, Lassiter played in all 15 games for the Bulldogs as a reserve and on special teams. A year ago, he started all 15 games and finished with 38 tackles. In the national championship game against TCU, he had three tackles, including a tackle for a loss.

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“The mentality for this year is really just (get) better, never rest,” he said. “We are trying to eat off the floor. We are not trying to be complacent this year.”

Lassiter said the team is trying not to focus on what would be a historic accomplishment to win three college football national championships in a row.

“We just try to focus on, you know, every day we come in, we try to get better at something, whether it’s trying to get stronger, faster, more conditioned,” he said. “We just try and keep the main thing the main thing. We try and focus on the task at hand, and that’s just trying to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.”

Lassiter said it’s been a “blessing and an honor” to play under Georgia coach Kirby Smart.

“It’s not a job really to play under him,” he said. “He played DB at Georgia, and he takes pride in it because he loves the university. He just brings all the energy and passion to the meet room and the field every day. Myself and the other guys, we feed off that.”