2024 NFL Draft: Zach Frazier has the game to be the anchor of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line

The West Virginia center is a potential game changer at the center position.

Over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft we will take a look at close to 30 prospects to know.

Within that, we will use the excellent work of Dane Brugler, who has just released his “The Beast” 2024 NFL Draft Guide. I highly recommend taking a peek and signing up for The Athletic if only to get Dane’s guide.

It is always an exhaustive work, and he should be commended.

With that said, we will go in order of Dane’s Big Board and use his final analysis as the wrap up of each prospect.

Next up is an interior offensive line prospect who could fit in with the Arizona Cardinals in the immediate and the future… Zach Frazier.

Dane’s Take:

A four-year starter at West Virginia, Frazier was the starting center in head coach Neal Brown’s balanced scheme, using both zone and gap principles. He put together an All-American resume (on and off the field) during his time in Morgantown, starting 37 consecutive games at center before his broken leg in the 20 23 regular-season finale.

Frazier’s work in both zone and gap scheme makes him an immediate interest for Arizona Cardinals and fans.

Frazier is a leverage-based blocker with the knee bend and grip strength expected of a four-time state champion high school wrestler (he won the genetic lottery for a center — his father’s side were football players and his mother’s side were wrestlers). At times, his hands get out in front and his feet are late to catch up, but he consistently finds a way to stay under control and finish.

Frazier is a state champion wrestler and his physicality and focus is on display in his technique and work. he also has a little bit of that nasty in him, where he likes to play outside the lines every once in a while. Not a bad thing at all.

Overall, Frazier might not boast elite athleticism or length, but he is good enough in those areas and will win over NFL teams with his core strength, football IQ, competitive toughness and understanding of leverage. He projects as a quality NFL starting center the moment he is drafted.

The biggest question mark you will have about Frazier is if he can fit in at a guard position in year one, or if he is a center only. If he is, will he be able to supplant Hjalte Froholdt?

Next up… Darius Robinson.