Zach Frazier is ranked as one of the top interior offensive linemen in this year’s NFL Draft.
Frazier’s consistency on the field (played 47 games in his career) and in the classroom, with a 3.88 grade point average in sports management at West Virginia University, makes the center an intriguing prospect.
Here is more background on Frazier as an NFL prospect.
How Tall Is Zach Frazier?
Frazier measured in at 6’3″ at the NFL Scouting Combine. His height is in the 20th percentile of players in his position in the NFL Draft, per Mock Draftable.
How Much Does Frazier Weigh?
Frazier weighs 313 pounds, which puts him in the 87th percentile of players at his position. His weight is around ideal for a center and is comparable to Penn State center Hunter Nourzad, who has similar measurables.
How Old Is Frazier?
Frazier was born on Aug. 29, 2001, and is 22 years old. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote that the average prospect is 23.24 years old, which would make Frazier younger. The Ringer’s Nora Princiotti wrote that the average age of a first-round selection dropped from 22.6 in 2000 to 21.7 in 2018.
What School Did Frazier Go To?
Frazier attended West Virginia. 205 players have gone pro from WVU and 210 players have been drafted, per Pro Football Reference. The most recent Hall of Famer from the Mountaineers is six-time Pro Bowl selection Chuck Howley, who played in the NFL from 1958-1973.
Revisiting Frazier’s College Career
The center from Fairmont, West Virginia, immediately made an impact as the starting center for his home state team. Starting center Chase Behrndt got hurt, and Frazier became the first true freshman to start on the offensive line in 40 years. Behrndt returned, and Frazier moved to left guard, making nine starts at the position.
He became the starting center for good in 2021, being named as a second-team All-Big 12 selection. Frazier played in all 12 games at center the following season and became a first-team All-Big 12 member.
His career capped off in 2023 with a third-team Associated Press All-American nod, a first-team All-Big 12 conference pick, and being a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, also known as the “Academic Heisman.”
Frazier’s Potential in the NFL
Frazier posted 30 reps on the bench press at the combine, had a 5.24 40-yard dash with a 1.81 10-yard split, a 28.5-inch vertical jump, an 8’4″ broad jump, a 4.69 shuttle run, and a 7.85-second three-cone drill at the Big 12 Combine on March 30.
Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings wrote Frazier’s scouting report, discussing his time at West Virginia and a bit about his high school wrestling days.
“In college, Frazier was a four-year starter in four years at West Virginia, starting his first season at left guard and then his final three at center,” Cummings wrote. “In 2023, he was a first-team All-Big 12 honoree at center and earned an invite to the Senior Bowl.
“Frazier’s collegiate career was dominant, but a lot of people don’t know just how dominant he was even before he reached the college ranks. In high school, he was just as indomitable — but in wrestling.
“For four straight years — from 2017 to 2020 — Frazier was the heavyweight state champion in wrestling, and he only lost two matches in his entire career. That same leverage and strength has helped him become one of the best center prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Zach Frazier
Frazier’s mother’s (Heather) side of the family is chock full of wrestlers. His grandfather, Don Courtney, won the 175-pound title in 1970, and his uncles Chris, Ryan, and Jeff won a combined five state titles from 1993-2002, according to G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic.
There are two other NFL offensive linemen who were notable wrestlers in high school: Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who both attended Iowa and wrestled against one another in high school. Nearly 6% of NFL Hall of Fame inductees were wrestlers, according to Hudl.
KEEP READING: Who Has the Most Draft Picks in 2024?
Among former NFL players who wrestled are offensive linemen Willie Roaf, Jeff Saturday, and Jonathan Ogden, along with Ray Lewis, Tiki and Ronde Barber, Chris Cooley, Kelly Gregg, Mike Golic, and others.
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