Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a number of draft needs that they needed to address. Unlike in 2023, the Steelers didn’t possess a full allotment of draft picks, and there were several positions which would be considered a glaring need on their roster.

With seven total picks, the following positions could be viewed as a priority entering the selection process: center, wide receiver, cornerback, safety and even inside linebacker. Those positions, and more, were positions of need to help the black-and-gold get to the next level in 2024. There have been numerous thoughts and debates regarding what the team will do in Round 2 of the NFL Draft.

When the dust settled, the Steelers selected Zach Frazier out of West Virginia with their second pick in the draft.

The Steelers are taking West Virginia C Zach Frazier.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 27, 2024

For some analysis of this selection, here is information from a scouting report on Frazier, this from NFL.com:

“Sawed-off frame with short arms and terrific power once he gets locked in. Frazier’s lack of ideal arm length will be a problem for some evaluators and could cause him problems on the next level. Frazier has bulldozer drive strength in his lower half but allows his hands to do too much grabbing and hugging at times. He has quick eyes and a firm punch in pass protection, but because of his lack of length and recovery ability, he’s going to have issues if he’s forced to protect on an island. Frazier has the potential to be a good backup or eventual starter, but he needs to play with consistent inside hands and must stay tight to his targets in order to mitigate his physical deficiencies.”

Strengths

• Wide, squared-off frame with muscular arms and exceptional core strength.
• Jolting upper-body power helps widen run lanes with down/secure blocks.
• Drives opposition into the ground with every opportunity he gets.
• Uses darting eyes and plus instincts to locate pressure points around him.
• Squeezes down toward A-gap blitzers with forceful positioning.
• Punches with good placement and above-average grip strength.

Weaknesses

• Powerful, but carries shorter arms, limiting his block radius.
• Loses inside hands as run blocker and ends up with too much hugging.
• Below-average reactive movement to moving targets in space.
• Needs to prove he can anchor with more shallow pass sets.
• Lack of length means goose is cooked once rusher beats him at his edge.

What do you think of the pick? Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to check out the Breaking News Podcast in the player below with a more detailed look on the draft pick: