
After moving down the board multiple times in the fifth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears finally settled on the 169th overall pick and used that selection to draft UTSA cornerback Zah Frazier.
Frazier was one of the more intriguing players at the position in this class. The measurables with his speed and size are off the charts after running a 4.36 40-yard-dash at 6'3. 186 pounds.
Ball skills are evident in Frazier too after recording six interceptions in 2024 but the main concerns surrounding his projection are age and experience.
Frazier will turn 25 during the 2025 season and despite his age doesn't have much experience. He only played 10 games in his career at UTSA and played 596 total defensive snaps in three years, according to Pro Football Focus.
Frazier knows his lack of experience is a potential concern for teams but he's eager to get on the field and prove everyone wrong. And after meeting with him on a Top-30 visit, the Bears were willing to bank on his upside.
"We brought him in for a 30-visit and this guy was unbelievable," director of player personnel Trey Koziol said. "Outgoing. Really self-aware. Had to take the long route to the NFL... but we absolutely loved having him in the building."
.@ZFrazier19's an INT machine pic.twitter.com/tfqbHQHQTq
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 26, 2025
In a way, Frazier's closest comparison is actually another UTSA cornerback selected in the fifth-round who was oozing with upside given his speed and length. That player was Riq Woolen, who the Seattle Seahawks drafted 153rd overall in 2022.
Woolen's draft process was a bit underwhelming despite running a blazing 4.26 40-yard-dash at 6'4, 205 pounds as he fell into Day 3 of the draft.
Once getting Woolen on the field, he proved to be an immediate contributor for the Seahawks leading the NFL with six interceptions and reaching the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The Bears will be hoping they can tap into that kind of potential with Frazier.
And he'll be in the perfect spot to make an impact without having the pressure to do so immediately. He's the ideal fit for what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants on the outside and will enter into the Bears cornerback room behind Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Terell Smith.
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