Ex-Steelers OL Has One Concern About Zach Frazier

Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-round selection Zach Frazier looks like the complete package on film. He does not have the athleticism or upside of Graham Barton or Jackson Powers-Johnson, but that’s fine. Thanks to his wrestling background, the tape is already maxed out in part. Frazier plays with excellent leverage and has fantastic hand usage.

Fraizer uses his grip strength to grapple defenders to the turf. By NFL standards. Overall, you look at his skills on tape, and he has been molded into a tough, highly intelligent center, and his bevy of experience should make for a relatively seamless transition to the league. So, overall there is little to be concerned about here for the Steelers. Frazier brings a toughness that works in Arthur Smith’s scheme while being a plug-and-play technician who should bring no worry to the field for the Steelers.

Former Steelers guard Ramon Foster has one concern about Frazier, however. And it stems from his wrestling background.

“His only drawback as far as Zach Frazier goes is he does like to use his grappling from time to time. Not in the holding sense. But in the NFL, he likes to grab and throw dudes to the ground. He can do that once he builds up his reputation in the NFL. Those kinds of things get somewhat called in games,” Foster said on a recent episode of the Ramon Foster Show.

That was the only thing that Foster pointed out as a potential flaw. It’s a minor concern, and I’m sure offensive line coach Pat Meyer will work with him on that. Overall, Foster thinks the Steelers got potentially a plug-and-play starter. That most likely will be the case, as Nate Herbig and Spencer Anderson are the only other options on the roster at center.

“The Zach Frazier pick was everything that you needed,” he said. “You feel very comfortable with the Zach Frazier pick because he’s a position-specific player. He could potentially be a day-one starter.”

Matt Miller of ESPN tabbed Frazier as one of the best picks of the class.

“When I was writing scouting notes on Frazier before the draft, I kept thinking he was a Pittsburgh-type player thanks to his toughness, agility and background as an elite high-school wrestler. Steelers GM Omar Khan apparently agreed. Frazier has the profile of a 10-year starter at center and can immediately step in to boost an offensive line that got a complete makeover during draft weekend,” Miller wrote.

The value is great, considering that Frazier could have gone much earlier. He fits the identity of the offensive line and the offense, and will now set the offensive line up for success into the future.