The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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48 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2023 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan landed one of its most im- portant 2024 recruiting targets — offensive tackle Blake Frazier from Aus- tin (Texas) Vandegrift. He committed to Michigan April 16 over fellow finalists Clemson, Florida, LSU and Texas. "I had truly planned all along to make my decision in July after taking all five of my official visits, but my plans changed. This was one of those things that I didn't have to think twice about," Frazier said. "After my last trip to Mich- igan and hanging out with the guys I'll be teammates with and seeing how the team practices and just the way I was treated like family, there isn't a doubt in my mind that Michigan is home." Frazier's decision came a month after he spent multiple days in Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit that played a big role in his decision. "It was the closest visit I've had to an official visit," Frazier said. "We got there at 4 o'clock on Friday and flew out at 8:30 on Monday. We were there the entirety of the weekend. I got to watch the tail end of Friday's practice and the entirety of Sunday's practice. "I also got to spend an unreal amount of time with all the coaches, specifically with [offensive line] Coach [Sherrone] Moore and [director of recruiting opera- tions] Albert Karschnia. That was a fun time. They showed me I'm a priority. It was no doubt an amazing visit." Frazier, who is ranked as the No. 19 offensive tackle and No. 209 overall re- cruit nationally by On3, is the fourth of- fensive line commit in Michigan's 2024 recruiting class. He joins four-star Andrew Sprague (On3's No. 14 offensive tackle and No. 117 overall player nationally), four- star Luke Hamilton (the country's No. 25 interior offensive lineman ac- cording to the On3 Industry Ranking) and three-star Ben Roebuck (the No. 28 offensive tackle in the land per the On3 Industry Ranking). Moore is coming off back-to-back Joe Moore Awards, and with Frazier and company on board, that success should continue in the trenches. "Coach Moore obviously knows what he's talking about," Frazier said. "As an offensive lineman, it's really hard to shy away from a school that has gone back- to-back in creating the best offensive line in the country. As far as wanting to go to the NFL, there doesn't seem to be a lot of places better than Michigan right now." Frazier is the son of former Michigan offensive lineman Steve Frazier, who was part of the 1997 national champi- onship team and snapped for future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. The younger Frazier grew up watch- ing Michigan, and following in his fa- ther's footsteps was tough to pass up. "My dad played there, and people get hooked on that pretty easily," Frazier said. "Michigan was always on the TV growing up. It's hard to not learn to love a team that you are always watching. "He gets invited to all the reunions, and he's made it clear that Michigan is a program that takes care of their present and former players. That's been really cool to see in action." Frazier has the flexibility to move inside but best projects as a right tackle at the next level. The 6-foot-6, 270-pounder boasts 33.25-inch arms with an 81.25-inch wingspan. Frazier had a strong junior season, helping lead Vandegrift to a state title appearance in the highest classification in Texas. This spring, he has been a standout in track and field, tossing personal bests in both the shot put (51 feet, 3.25 inches) and discus (153 feet, 10 inches). "Blake Frazier is a guy we've seen continue to progress physically over the past year or so with a nice frame and a lot of room to continue adding weight," On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power said. "He has very good movement skills, and it excites us to see how good he is at the shot put. The functional strength and power through his core projects well. "He could play multiple positions along the offensive line — tackle or slide inside. He's one player whose best foot- ball is definitely ahead of him." ❏ Legacy Offensive Lineman Blake Frazier Goes Blue On3 ranks Frazier as the No. 19 offensive tackle and No. 209 overall recruit nationally. PHOTO BY SAM SPIEGELMAN/ON3 PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Blake Frazier has a terrific frame with plenty of room to add weight. His development under Michigan strength program will be key. He has the body type to add another 30-35 pounds and unlock extra power and athleticism. He plays at a Texas powerhouse and is the son of an ex-Wolverine, so it's no surprise he's well coached and technically sound. He is physical when run-blocking and shows plenty of aggression when finishing blocks. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: While Frazier is above average in pass protection, he can continue to work on his bend and kick step. He is more of a mauler than an athletic tackle at this point in the pro- cess, but that will change once he gets in Michigan's strength program. He can also continue to improve on his feet and add more power in the weight room. MICHIGAN PLAYER COMPARISON: Frazier has a similar frame as Trevor Keegan did coming out of high school. While Frazier projects as a right tackle, he could easily move inside at the next level and be an All-Big Ten selection. Keegan also projected as a tackle during his recruitment before ultimately sliding inside and becoming a mainstay along the U-M offensive line. — EJ Holland