Zach Frazier is coming off a fantastic college career where he starred for West Virginia. He stands at 6’3”, 310 pounds, and is a tremendous athlete at the center position.
He played a ton of football during his time at West Virginia and was one of the best players in the Big 12 the past two seasons.
Let’s dive into Frazier’s journey with the former Mountaineers offensive lineman entering the NFL.
Where Did Zach Frazier’s Football Career Start?
Frazier played high school football at Fairmont Senior High School in Fairmont, W.Va.
You could make the case that football was Frazier’s second-best sport in high school, as he was an incredible wrestler. Frazier went 159-2 during his high school career in wrestling, winning four state championships. The only two losses came his freshman year.
West Virginia Center Zach Frazier(#54) is one guy I think will be drafted higher than people realize. He is strong, shows really good technique, and the leverage he plays with is phenomenal. You can see that wrestling background in his tape. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Jvj4J3NxlM
— Sanjit T. (@Sanjit__T) April 21, 2024
On the football field, Frazier was also a standout, as he helped lead his team to a championship in three seasons. He set a school record by starting 54 games in his career and was awarded the Stydahar Award (best lineman in the state) as a senior.
Frazier was a three-star recruit, and he chose West Virginia over Louisville, Marshall, Stanford, and Virginia Tech, among other schools.
Revisiting Frazier’s College Career
From the moment he stepped foot on campus at West Virginia, Frazier was on the field. He started nine of the team’s 10 games his first year and became the first true freshman offensive lineman to start since 1980.
During his next three years, Frazier started 37 games. In his sophomore year in 2022, he was named second-team All-Big 12, and he allowed only one sack. He had 11 of his 12 games in 2022 where he didn’t miss an assignment.
MORE: Top iOL in the 2024 NFL Draft
Last season, Frazier didn’t allow a sack and was the leader of arguably the best offensive line in the country. The Mountaineers allowed only 10 sacks, which was the second-fewest in the nation.
West Virginia also rushed for 2,976 rushing yards, which was the most among all Power Five teams in the country. The Mountaineers gained 32 rushing touchdowns, which was tied for 11th in the country.
He was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and was a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy.
Frazier’s Potential in the NFL
The 2024 NFL Draft‘s offensive line class is one of the best in recent memory. Frazier is one of many offensive linemen who could find themselves going in the first round.
Frazier has a nasty streak to him that you want in an offensive lineman. The combination of the football and wrestling background allows him to play with the perfect leverage that you want out of the center position.
Pro Football Network NFL draft analyst Ian Cummings is high on Frazier, and he thinks Frazier has a chance to play right away in the NFL.
“He’s one of my highest-graded pure center prospects, and he profiles as a quality starter very early in his NFL career,” Cummings said. “Frazier plays with the natural leverage and feel that you’d expect from a former state-champion wrestler. His base is always aligned properly, and he plays with good pad level and has the anchor strength to dominate blocks in both phases.
“In the run game, Frazier is mobile, malleable, instinctive, and a physical blocker with a finisher’s mentality. And in the passing game, he’s a synergetic pass protector with great extension mechanics, lateral mobility, stunt awareness, and power absorption.
“Ultimately, Frazier has the athleticism, strength, flexibility, power, tenacity, awareness, and technical edge to be a scheme-versatile starter at center with impact potential. With his range and angle IQ, he can be used as a puller, a zone blocker, a gap sealer, and a second-level snowplow, and he can shore up the middle in pass protection for a decade-plus.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Zach Frazier
If there is one knock on Frazier, it is the fact he isn’t going to blow you away with his athleticism. He also doesn’t have elite arm-reach, but there are too many positives on his profile overall.
Frazier’s Highlights, Records, and More
This past season, Frazier was named an All-Big 12 First-Team honoree and was a second-team All-American.
He was also named first-team All-Big 12 in the end-of-season College Football Network awards while also being named the offensive center of the year in the Big 12 by CFN.