The success of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been tied to their ability to be the most physical football team on game day, with all six Super Bowls being built on the back of gritty and determined players. Most of the time, this mindset is associated with the Steelers defense, but the offense has been just as resolute, especially the center position. Iron Mike Webster is the biggest example, but Dermontti Dawson, Ray Mansfield and Maurkice Pouncey have also set the tone for many great Steelers teams. Recently, the Steelers have struggled at center, but Zach Frazier could change that. His former head coach certainly thinks so.
Frazier played at West Virginia University from 2020 to 2023, and Neal Brown was his head coach during his entire college career. Frazier’s toughness is apparent when looking at his ability on the field, but in a recent interview with Heartland College Sports, Brown highlighted Frazier’s mindset off the field, showering his former player with praise.
”Zach Frazier, I’ve spoken a lot about this, he completely changed our program with his work ethic, and I thought he was the best interior offensive lineman in college football. I think he’s got a long, bright future ahead of him in the NFL. Excited for him and the Steelers.”
Being a great player is one thing, but being such an amazing worker that you change an entire team’s culture is another thing entirely. For the Steelers, whose offensive line has struggled the past few seasons, that kind of shift is exactly what they’ve been looking for. In the middle of Ben Roethlisberger’s career, the Steelers’ offensive line was not playing well enough, and then they drafted Pouncey, who didn’t just meet the standard but became the standard.
Since he retired, the Steelers have been looking for his replacement, on the field and in the locker room. Based on Brown’s description, Frazier could finally solve that problem. Brown has said before that he believes the Steelers won’t regret their decision to draft Frazier, and if he brings that mindset he had at WVU, then that will be more than true. The Steelers have a lot of young talent in the offensive line room, so someone will need to step up. Frazier is a rookie right now, so maybe he won’t be a leader immediately, but if he wins the starting job, it might not take long.
Frazier has said that he’s trying to watch veteran Isaac Seumalo to pick up how to be successful in the NFL, which is a good place to start if he wants to eventually be a leader. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Seumalo was part of one of the league’s best offensive lines with the Eagles, so he has a vast ocean of knowledge to pass on. If Frazier can absorb that knowledge and play well this season, then he should be primed to help take this offensive line to the next level. The Steelers want to run the ball better this year, and that starts up front with Frazier. Hopefully, that incredible work ethic is apparent immediately, otherwise the Steelers may be in for a long season with the way their schedule looks.
