The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected West Virginia center Zach Frazier with their second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft at No. 51 in the second round.
The Steelers official account on X posted a video of head coach Mike Tomlin welcoming Frazier to the Steelers.
“Zach Frazier, what’s up my, man? Welcome to Pittsburgh, man. It’s pretty good, you don’t have real far to go. Where are you taking in the draft today? Are you in your hometown or are you in Morgantown?” Tomlin asked Frazier on the call.
Frazier took in the draft with his family in his hometown of Fairmont, W.Va.
“We know how excited we are to have you. Congratulations to you and your family. We’re gonna pass the phone around( (and) give you an opportunity to say hello to some people. First and foremost, Art Rooney wants to welcome you to our organization. Man, congratulations. I’m sure we are going to get you up here to participate in some of these draft festivities this weekend, so I look forward to seeing you here soon.”
Getting the call from Coach T 😎 @zfrazier54 pic.twitter.com/DGT7aLSlpx
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2024
Frazier appeared in 47 games for the Mountaineers over a four-year span. Frazier’s career at West Virginia came to an end when he suffered a leg injury during the Baylor game on Nov. 25. He managed to get himself off of the field, avoiding a loss of time on the clock late in the game and impressing NFL scouts in the process. The Fairmont, W.Va. native capped off his Mountaineer career as an All-American and finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
The Steelers showed consistent interest in Frazier through the pre-draft process, interviewing him at the 2024 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and also bringing him to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for a visit. The Steelers sent assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams to Frisco, Texas to watch Frazier work out at the Big 12 pro day.
Despite not even testing, he helped himself out at the 2024 NFL Combine, checking in at 6-foot-2 1/2 and 313 pounds with 32 1/4-inch arms and 10 7/8-inch hands. He has a 7.66 Relative Athletic Score out of 10. Frazier was limited in the pre-draft process by a broken leg suffered late in the West Virginia season.
A Fairmont, West Virginia native, Frazier was a West Virginia state champion wrestler before joining the Mountaineers. He started nine games at guard as a freshman in 2020 before moving to center, where he was a three-year starter.
The stout and physical Frazier is perfect for the Steelers’ diverse run scheme, and his leadership and smarts would fit well on the offensive line. One of the best centers in the country that would help the Steelers solidify their offensive line for whoever would play at quarterback next season.
The Steelers have been looking to replace center Mason Cole, who was released earlier this offseason after spending two years as a starter.
Alan Saunders provided reporting for this story.