Players have little control over where they are drafted, but the pressure and expectations placed on them are often directly related to which round they were taken in. Just a couple of decades ago, rookies were often developed behind veteran players before cracking the starting lineup, but anyone taken over the first two days of the draft is expected to make an immediate impact on the roster. That is why there are high expectations for Zach Frazier, who was selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in April.
Add in the fact that nobody thought he would be available by the time the Steelers made their pick at No. 51 overall, and the expectations being placed on Frazier are high. Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in early March that the Steelers owe it to themselves to find “the next great Steelers center.” And naturally, Frazier has been asked about upholding the tradition set by Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson, Maurkice Pouncey, and others as a Steelers center. Again, that is more pressure being placed on a player who has never played a snap in the NFL.
Frazier was asked how his ascent to the starting job was coming along after Sunday’s practice.
“I guess that’s not really something that I’m worried about in my mind,” Frazier said in a video posted by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on YouTube. “I’m just taking it day by day and trying to put myself to be the best that I can be and then doing everything in my power to earn that spot. And that’s all I’m doing is just taking it day by day. I’m not too focused on that.”
Nate Herbig is his primary competition at center, and so far, through four training camp practices, it has been Herbig running with the ones and Frazier with the twos. Though they are competing for a starting job, Frazier says that Herbig has taken him under his wing. He also has the benefit of learning alongside other first-year offensive linemen Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick.
In Frazier’s own words, “I feel like there’s nothing that I do perfect. So I just want to improve in all areas.”
The pads will come on for the first time tomorrow, and that is when the true competitions begin. For now, he just needs to focus on winning each individual rep, whether with the first—or second-team offense, and the rest will take care of itself.
