After a strong rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, center Zach Frazier added to his list of accolades Tuesday afternoon.
Frazier, a second-round pick at No. 51 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, was voted to the Professional Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie Team Tuesday.
The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA), which completed its 61st season of existence, is the official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public, according to the PFWA website. The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams daily.
Needing to address the center position after cutting Mason Cole early last offseason, the Steelers lucked out with Frazier falling to them at No. 51 overall. Though the West Virginia product wasn’t slated to open the season as the starting center, a season-ending shoulder injury to Nate Herbig in training camp opened the door for him. Frazier burst through it, grabbing hold of the position and solidifying himself as the man in the middle for years to come.
Frazier, who was named the Joe Greene Great Performance Award winner as the team’s best rookie, was outstanding in 2024. He finished as the best pass-blocking rookie offensive lineman, allowing the lowest pressure rate among all qualifying rookies.
According to Pro Football Focus, Frazier played 1,021 snaps this season and had a grade of 77.9 overall, including an 80.5 in the run game and a 68.6 as a pass blocker.
PFF charged Frazier with just 12 total pressures on 585 pass-blocking reps, giving up one sack. That came in Week 12 against Myles Garrett after a stunt from the Cleveland Browns’ defensive line. Just 12 total pressures in 585 pass blocking reps is rather impressive, especially on the interior considering the type of talent he faced this season.
Though the offensive line struggled late in the season, Frazier is a bright spot moving forward for the Steelers as their rebuild along the offensive line continues.
Surprisingly, rookie linebacker Payton Wilson, a third-round pick at No. 98 overall out of North Carolina State, did not land on the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team. Wilson was edged out by Green Bay’s Edgerrin Cooper, Miami’s Chop Robinson and Los Angeles’ Jared Verse at the LB position, though Robinson and Verse can be classified as defensive ends.
Washington Commanders’ QB Jayden Daniels, who led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, was named the PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year while Verse was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels was named the overall PFWA Rookie of the Year, which isn’t a surprise.
The PFWA has picked an All-Rookie team every season since 1974.
