The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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PLAYER BIOS ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ ❱ MARCH 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 37 Blake said with a laugh. "He was stay- ing unbiased the whole time, and I re- ally appreciated it. But once he knew I was ready, he was pretty pumped about it. He was texting all of his past team- mates. It was a welcoming feeling to get texts from them as well. "The information I've learned from him about the university and the vibe of the locker room and what it means to be a Michigan Wolverine is invaluable." Blake was a class leader and remained solid throughout the entire recruiting process. He put pen to paper in Decem- ber and began his journey early, taking part in Michigan's playoff practices this winter. "It means everything to be a Michigan Wolverine," Frazier said. "It's something I've dreamed of my entire life. I grew up watching the Wolverines. I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of the pro- gram. I'm fortunate to catch it at such a good time and help continue to build the legacy that the guys there have built and are continuing to build." His dad accomplished a lot during his career at Michigan and is well-known as the man that snapped for the legendary Tom Brady, arguably the greatest pro football player of all time. Blake had his own encounter with Brady before his recruiting process be- gan. And that only continued to facili- tate his love for Michigan. "It was unfortunate — they lost to the Chiefs that day in Foxborough [Mass.] in 2019 — but it was really cool because I got to see inside of his mind a little bit," Blake said. "I was a 14-year-old kid at the time, and he came out with a smile on his face and greeted us. "He started asking our opinions on what we saw. He wanted to know if he had missed something or if there is any- thing he could have seen differently. I was just a starstruck kid. It was a dream come true." At the time Blake met Brady, he didn't exactly look like a future Division I re- cruit. In fact, Frazier weighed fewer than 200 pounds and was a backup tight end on the Vandegrift junior varsity team as a sophomore. No colleges even expressed an ounce of interest. However, he hit the weight room hard going into his junior campaign and completely changed his diet. In a mirac- ulous turnaround, Frazier bulked up and became one of the nation's premier of- fensive tackle recruits almost overnight. "As I wrote in my college essay, it was the hardest thing I had to do in my en- tire life," he said. "It was tough. I basi- cally went radio silent on social media and put on 55 pounds in three months. I started at right tackle my junior year. I would take pictures of every meal. "It's a great reminder that I'm ca- pable of doing hard things. It's one of my proudest accomplishments. Having that experience under my belt has only made me stronger." Frazier will likely need some more time in the Michigan strength and con- ditioning program as a true freshman. But there is no doubt he will be a fu- ture cornerstone for an offensive line room that has racked up two Joe Moore Awards over the last three years. By the time his college career comes to an end, Frazier wants to be even bet- ter than his father and go down as an all-time great. "I see myself starting and becoming an All-American," he said. "I see myself as a leader on the team and competing for a national championship." ❑ 2024 Projection Frazier experienced a rapid weight gain in the final two years of his high school career. At 275 pounds, he is s ll on the lean side and will likely need to redshirt during his fresh- man campaign. Frazier can comfortably carry another 50 pounds and will need to work closely with new U-M strength coach Jus n Tress to make that happen over the next year. Frazier should be ready to compete for significant me by his second season in Ann Arbor. He has posi on flexibility, which means he could start off at guard and kick out to tackle as he develops. Frazier, a four-star offensive tackle rated as the No. 164 overall prospect nationally, was also a track and field standout in the shot put and discus in high school. PHOTO BY SAM SPIEGELMAN/ON3