The Pittsburgh Steelers set out this offseason to find “the next great Steelers center”, and Zach Frazier may be him. A rookie second-round pick out of West Virginia, he should start the season opener next month. The expectation is that he will look a lot more like Maurkice Pouncey than Kendrick Green, as rookie centers go.
At least one former Steelers lineman also has high expectations for Frazier. Trai Essex talked about the rookie yesterday on the Chipped Ham and Football podcast with Brian Batko. He discussed a range of topics regarding the Steelers’ offensive line but finished on a high note.
“I like Zach [Frazier]. That is the one positive”, Essex said. “He is coming off the ball. He seems very definitive in his calls, and that’s what you want. As a rookie, and especially as a center, you are the leader of the offensive line. You’ve got to be decisive. And even if you make the wrong call, make the wrong call 100 percent.
“It looks like he’s coming off the ball hard. It looks like he’s meshing well with both his guards on either side as far as combo blocks are concerned. And it looks like he’s holding up well in pass protection. I’m very excited about him. I think we found the right guy in the second round in Zach”.
The Steelers used their first- and second-round draft picks in 2024 to bolster their offensive line. They drafted T Troy Fautanu in the first round, and he could start the season opener at right tackle. Then they took C Zach Frazier in the second, and he has to start after Nate Herbig’s injury. Chances are he would have started over Herbig by then anyway, but this pretty much removes the variables.
One thing Frazier always had going for him is the fact that he was very experienced. While he understands the jump from college to the NFL is huge, he also understands the fundamentals of his craft. He is a natural center, and it shows when he plays.
Frazier is his own worst critic, yet we have only heard positive things about him since training camp opened. He has been a professional since the day he walked into the building, which you can tell during his interviews. While he may lack eloquence and comfort speaking to the media, he will never say the wrong thing.
Since Pouncey retired, the Steelers have had instability at center. The aforementioned Green only lasted one year before they signed Mason Cole in free agency. He lasted another two years before the Steelers released him this offseason. Now it’s up to Zach Frazier to attempt to further the Steelers’ rich legacy at the center position.
If veterans of offensive line play like Trai Essex see it in Frazier—and I see it with my own eyes—I have little doubt that Frazier will be a quality starter. He may have some early hiccups as he adjusts, but he has the talent to hang with NFL players. Once he is on even footing, I expect him to be a top-10 center in the league.
