Last year, even with Troy Fautanu not playing much, the Pittsburgh Steelers got great production from their rookies. Zach Frazier was the crown jewel of that group. Initially, he wasn’t supposed to be the starting center, but an injury to Nate Herbig changed that. Frazier had a few hiccups early on but was excellent overall. He looks like a real building block for the Steelers’ offense. Former NFL offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley recently had a ton of praise to give Frazier.
“The thing I like about this guy is he’s a gnat,” Shipley said on the YouTube channel Clean Pocket. “It is the best compliment for an offensive lineman to be a gnat. What that means is he never stops. He doesn’t play to the whistle; he plays through the whistle. He’s pissing you off.
“If you’ve got a long arm on him and the whistle blows, he’s chopping it off and making sure he gets the last hit. He’s putting you over top of the pile. He’s finishing you 10 yards downfield. He’s climbing to the second level and burying you in the endzone. He’s doing all these things because of effort. He has the talent, he has the size, he has the ability, but the effort is what makes him who he is.”
Shipley’s description of Frazier as a “gnat” is perfect. It was one of his biggest assets on the field, even before he got to the NFL. Look at how he crawled off the field when he broke his leg at West Virginia. Even when he was injured, Frazier wouldn’t stop. He was focused on doing what was best for the team.
That toughness and resilience was present with the Steelers. Not only was Frazier their best rookie, but he was also arguably their best offensive lineman. Playing center is a big responsibility, and Frazier stepped up in a big way. He isn’t perfect, but he has a bright future ahead of him.
The only thing that stopped Frazier last year was an ankle injury; even then, he only missed two games. He was excellent, especially in the run game. Going into the 2024 season, the Steelers wanted to be a run-first offense. While their run game wasn’t amazing, that wasn’t Frazier’s fault. He was a mauler, crushing opponents.
Frazier was no slouch in pass protection, either. According to The 33rd Team, he had the lowest pressure rate allowed of any rookie offensive lineman. That’s outstanding.
Shipley is correct that much of Frazier’s success is due to his effort. He does not quit on the field, which might remind Steelers fans of previous Pittsburgh centers. Maurkice Pouncey and Dermontti Dawson were known for their tough, bruising styles. That isn’t to say Frazier will ever be as good as either of them, but it’s a great skill to have. If he continues on this path, he should put together a solid NFL career.
