“We’re all just working together,” Frazier told reporters at the team’s minicamp. “We’re all going through it together so just learning everything as quickly as possible. Just working as hard as we can to fix our mistakes.”
With the Steelers positioned in a win-now mode, the rookies and especially future starters like Frazier and Troy Fautanu, are expected to learn quickly and on a step learning curve. For Frazier, that is not a problem nor is it a surprise.
“I think that’s just what you get going from college to the next level so I think we all expected that,” Frazier said. “We are ready for that.”
For those guys to hit the goals that the coaches set, it takes a pretty simple strategy which is good coaching. Offensive line coach Pat Meyers and assistant offensive line coaches Isaac Williams and Mateo Kambui have gone to work early in the process to help the young guys.
“All three of our offensive line coaches have helped us and have done a great job teaching us and putting it into a way that we can absorb it and learn it quickly,” Frazier said.
While the coaches have put in their time with the first and second year guys, fellow center Nate Herbig stepped up and took Frazier under his wing. With Frazier being a rookie, Herbig will get first dibs at first-team reps but there will be an open competition for the starting job through the end of the preseason.
“He’s been great,” Frazier said about Herbig. “He has helped me out a lot. He has really taken me under his wing and kind of helped me out. Someone that played center and can just give me tips and pointers.”
Another thing that Frazier noticed when he arrived in Pittsburgh was how much running the ball was going to be emphasized in the offensive game plan.
“I just like how [Arthur Smith] puts an emphasis on running the ball,” Frazier said. “I like that as an offensive lineman.”
While Frazier is a second-round pick, there is no guarantee that he will win the starting job before Week 1 rolls around. He will face off Herbig for the starting job throughout training camp and the preseason but do not be surprised if the Steelers play the slow game with their young guys similar to how they handled Jones last season.
Regardless, Frazier will be the Steelers starting center at some point this season, it is just unclear if it will be in Atlanta or not.
54 • Zach Frazier, Center, West Virginia
6-foot-3, 310 pounds, 22 years old, 1st Season
Acquired: The Steelers drafted Frazier with the 51st overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Frazier is the first Mountaineer to be drafted by the Steelers since the team selected Woodland Hills alum Ryan Mundy in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Last Year: In 2023, Frazier played at an extremely high level for the Mountaineers. In 12 starts, Frazier played 806 offensive snaps and did not allow a single sack. In their opening game against Pitt, Frazier was credited with a season-high 14 knockdowns.
Following the season, the committees named Frazier to the watchlist of many awards including being a William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist, a Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist and a Jason Witten Man of the Year Semifinalist. Additionally, he earned All-American honors for the second time of collegiate career.
College: Frazier, a West Virginia native, played his collegiate ball for the Mountaineers. He arrived on campus in 2020 which was the COVID-shortened season. Frazier started nine of his 10 appearances at left guard as a true freshman. He was the first true freshman to start on the Mountaineers offensive line since 1980.
In the offseason, Frazier switched his position to center and went onto start all 13 games as a sophomore. In 895 offensive snaps, Frazier allowed just one sack. After his breakout season, Frazier earned All-American honors by multiple outlets.
| Year | Position | GP | GS | Snaps | Sacks Allowed | PFF Rating |
| 2020 | LG | 10 | 9 | 630 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | C | 13 | 13 | 895 | 1 | 77.5 |
| 2022 | C | 12 | 12 | 883 | 3 | 80.8 |
| 2023 | C | 12 | 12 | 806 | 0 | 77.3 |
In 2022, Frazier stayed consistent as he started all 12 of the team’s games at center. Allowing just three sacks, Frazier went 10 games without allowing one and ended the season with his highest PFF Grade of his collegiate career. Additionally, Frazier received All-Big 12 nominations for the second consecutive season.
Additionally in 2022, Frazier led an offensive line that led Power 5 schools in rushing with 2,976 yards. The Mountaineers also had 32 rushing touchdowns which was tied for eleventh nationally. West Virginia was the only Big 12 school to finish with more than 2,000 rushing yards in conference games in 2022.
In total, Frazier started 46 of his 47 appearances for the Mountaineers. In his four years on campus, Frazier played over 3,200 offensive snaps and allowed just four sacks. He was a two-time All-American and three-time team captain.
Due to his success, Frazier earned invites to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine.
Salary cap and future: Frazier is a rookie who is entering the first year of his rookie contract. OverTheCap listed Frazier’s contract to be worth $7.54 million in total money. Frazier will cost $1.37 million against the team’s cap space in 2024. He will make $795,000 in base salary and another $576,675 in bonus money.
Frazier signed a standard four-year rookie contract with the Steelers after being drafted meaning that he will be with the team through the end of the 2027, at the very least.
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