When the pundits are discussing the day three picks of the Chicago Bears, many point to seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai as the most likely to outplay his draft status. Running back was a deep class in 2025, which pushed higher-ranked players down the board, and it was a position of need for the Bears. There’s a possible path to rookie reps for Monangai, especially since he’s strong in an area most first year tailbacks struggle, pass blocking.
But what about fifth-round pick Zah Frazier, the cornerback from the University of Texas at San Antonio? Corner has a deeper depth chart in Chicago, but with a new coaching staff, all the reserves may be coming in on equal footing. Frazier could earn some reps for a defensive coordinator who likes to play plenty of dime personnel.
The Pro Football & Sports Network picked Frazier as the Bears’ rookie who could exceed expectations, and here’s what they had to say about Zah.
With Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, the Chicago Bears have a strong foundation at the cornerback position. Johnson is a two-time Pro Bowler, and Gordon just became the highest-paid slot corner in the league. Ryan Poles added an athletically gifted prospect to the mix who can compete with Tyrique Stevenson and Terrell Smith for reps on the outside.
Zah Frazier has a lot to offer that many teams find attractive — size, speed, ball skills, and the versatility to play in different schemes. He’s raw with limited college starting experience, but standing at 6’3” and weighing 189 pounds, Frazier possesses the ideal length and speed to play as an outside corner. During his one season as a starter at UTSA, he certainly made an impact, recording 15 pass breakups and six interceptions in 2024.
Frazier’s long arms and impressive jumping ability allow him to disrupt passing lanes and contest catches effectively. Additionally, he’s a tenacious run defender who isn’t afraid to step up and tackle.
The first thing I thought of when the Bears drafted Frazier was new defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator Al Harris. Harris, like Frazier, was a day three corner from a smaller Texas school, and as it turned out, Frazier was on Harris’ radar months ago. At his post-draft press conference, General Manager Ryan Poles said that Harris texted him back in February to say that Frazier seemed like a good fit for their new defense.
The starter opposite Jaylon Johnson in 2024 was Tyrique Stevenson, with Terell Smith as the number two, but again, a new coaching staff and all bets are off.
“He’s got really good ball skills,” defensive coordinator Dennis Allen recently said via the team’s site. “He’s got speed, he’s got size, he’s got length. Those are all three things that we value really at any position on our defense, but in particular at the corner position.”
Rookie minicamp opens up on Friday, so we’ll be sure to get some updates on Frazier and his classmates.