WVU Product Zach Frazier Becoming Top Center in Draft as He Shows Impressive Recovery

As the NFL Draft season begins to pick up steam, teams are getting to know WVU product Zach Frazier. And to no surprise, the more scouts are around Frazier, the more his stock is on the rise.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler even says Frazier is viewed as the top center in the draft for several teams. Brugler released that information after first expressing how impressed he is with Frazier’s recovery from breaking his leg in West Virginia’s last game of the regular season.

“Zach Frazier was RUNNING on the treadmill while I was there. The same Zach Frazier who broke his leg on November 25! Crazy recovery. He is the top center in the draft for several teams,” said Brugler from the East-West Shrine Bowl as part of a post on X (Twitter).

Spent some time today at OL Masterminds with the great @BigDuke50 (story coming later).

Zach Frazier was RUNNING on the treadmill while I was there. The same Zach Frazier who broke his leg on November 25! Crazy recovery. He is the top center in the draft for several teams.

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 26, 2024

Most expected Frazier would eventually end up in the NFL, but it now sounds as if the former Mountaineer has a real shot at being a first round pick, especially since numerous teams could be looking for a center. Brugler’s comments come a week after he mocked Frazier to the Steelers, although with their second pick.

“Having grown up 90 miles south of Pittsburgh, Frazier embodies the toughness and physicality you expect from a Steelers offensive lineman. His late-season leg injury clouds his projection a tad, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he became a starting NFL center very early next season,” Brugler offered as his reasoning for Frazier making sense to Pittsburgh.

WVU Product Zach Frazier Projected to Steelers in Latest Mock Draft

The Fairmont, West Virginia native capped off his Mountaineer career as an All-American and finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.

WVU head coach Neal Brown showered Frazier with praise once it was clear his college career was over, highlighting how much his final play shows his intelligence as a player.

“I can’t say enough about Zach Frazier. So appreciative of him and his family. I think one play sums up who he is for his entire career, and I just hope our fanbase a young man from Fairmont, I think he’s the best center in college football,” said Brown with conviction.

Neal Brown, Garrett Greene Both Praise Zach Frazier for Intelligence, Toughness

“This is how smart he is and tough he is – he had an injury that’s significant, not something that’s going to be long term, but he probably won’t play in the bowl game. He limps off because he knows it’s a 10-second runoff if he stays down. He’s got a lower leg injury and he limps off on one-leg to avoid a 10-second runoff. I think that speaks to his intelligence, how tough he is, and that he’s a great player. I plan on doing this for a long time, I don’t think I’ll ever coach a center that’s better.”