Chicago Bears rookie cornerback Zah Frazier is an angular prospect. His 6-foot-3 carries his listed 186 pounds differently than players shorter than him. He told local media on Saturday that he is working with defensive backs coach Al Harris to ensure that his technique is right so opposing receivers cannot gain an advantage in leverage against him.
But the work might not stop there.
Rookie CB Zah Frazier Expects New Plan From Bears
Zah Frazier Open to Weight-Gain Regimen
Frazier is an older rookie; he will turn 25 in October. He is also the fifth-lightest player on the Bears’ roster and the only one in that bottom-five listed over 6 feet tall. Frazier is 11 pounds heavier than Cairo Santos, the Bears’ 5-foot-8 kicker.
He is six pounds heavier than Josh Blackwell, the Bears’ smallest corner at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds.
It has not come up yet, but Frazier says he is “sure” a plan to help him put on weight is coming.
“Not yet, but I’m sure it’s coming,” Frazier told Clocker Sports on Saturday. “I’m ready to gain weight. I’m constantly gaining weight right now. So, whatever I need to do, I’m gonna do it, and I’m gonna be coachable.”
Frazier’s confidence despite his lack of experience, especially considering his age, might come off as surprising.
He has much more going for him than his top-tier athleticism, though.
Bears DB Coach Stumped for ‘Fearless’ Zah Frazier
“I would say my DB coach saying, ‘Be fearless,’ and I think that’s going to come with me everywhere I go. Just being fearless, don’t worry about the next play. Just always worry about the play that’s in front of you. Handle that first, and then focus on the next play when it come. But when that ball in the air, when you gotta tackle, just be fearless,” Frazier told Clocker Sports after he was drafted.
“That’s just something that I done ingrained. So that’s all I think about, be fearless, and I just play to that. I would say that’s one of my things: ‘fearless.’”
Frazier’s new position coach was integral to his landing with the Bears, per Ryan Poles.
“Long press corner that we believe can come in and compete in our corner group,” the Bears’ general manager told reporters in April. “Actually got a text in February from Al Harris saying, ‘Hey, there’s this guy, Zah Frazier. He’s long. I think we can develop him as a press corner. I think we can get him in the fourth or fifth round,’ and it played out exactly that way, which was pretty cool. Was fired up for that one.”
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen compared Frazier to Harris, a two-time Pro Bowler.
“Coach been helping me, for sure,” Frazier said. “Getting my stance higher, not being too low when I’m in press-man, and stuff like that.
“I feel like [his college game]’s translating because I got Coach with me. He’s going to coach me up hard every day. He’s been coaching me hard since I got here, and right now. So, just having him right there just – it just motivates everybody, and it just elevates your game as well.”
Frazier called being coached by Harris a “blessing.”