Steelers fans have the right to wonder what they could have gotten out of this rookie class had it not been for injuries. First-round pick Troy Fautanu looked promising before a knee injury ended his season after just one game. Meanwhile, Roman Wilson was expected to play a significant role in the offense when Pittsburgh selected him in the third round, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy since camp.
Fortunately, the dominance of one Steelers rookie is making up for the losses of others.
Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh's second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has been better than anyone could have expected from the gate. The West Virginia product was a mauling run-blocker in the first half of the season before suffering an ankle injury.
Despite missing two games before the bye week, Pro Football Focus generously ranked Frazier among the best rookies in the NFL this year. Frazier has the fifth-highest grade among all rookies from the 2024 class. This includes players like Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr., Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving, and even Giants WR Malik Nabers.
Frazier's 82.2 overall grade was a testament to how impressive he was in the first six games of the season before getting injured. This grade currently ranks him 2nd among all NFL centers this season -- trailing only All-Pro Creed Humphrey.
Steelers have a special player in Zach Frazier
Since the departure of Maurkice Pouncey to retirement, things have been looking grim at the center position. The Pittsburgh Steelers opted for a quick fix with Kendrick Green, but the 2021 third-round pick couldn't come close to filling the void. Veteran Mason Cole was hardly any better in his stead.
Now Frazier already looks like the next great player in a long history that includes legendary centers in Pittsburgh. While Frazier isn't an elite athlete, he's as violent on the field as they come and his unparalleled wrestling background comes in handy often as he manhandles defensive tackles at the point of attack.
If Frazier looked this good in the first six games of his career, Steelers fans have to be excited about what's in store for the rest of his career. Typically, offensive linemen don't even reach their peak in the NFL until their late 20s. Frazier just turned 23 years old before the start of the season.
Pairing Frazier with Arthur Smith's wide zone offense is a match made in heaven. At this rate, we expect him to anchor the middle of Pittsburgh's offensive line for nearly a decade.