The Chicago Bears took University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) cornerback Zah Frazier in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the young DB apparently already has the backing of the team’s first-year coaching staff.
Frazier, with his well-established ball-hawking skills and hard-hitting style of play, is an intriguing new addition to Bears’ defensive backfield that already includes a potential competition brewing between incumbent starter Tyrique Stevenson and backup Terell Smith. Could Frazier’s presence add a third player into the mix? Maybe.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic believes Frazier’s presence will put even more pressure on Stevenson.
“If I had to rank players who had the most to lose in camp, Stevenson would top my list after everything that transpired last season,” Jahns wrote. “It will be interesting if Frazier can inject himself into the Stevenson/Smith competition. He already has the backing of defensive backs coach Al Harris, who texted Poles in February about Frazier and put him on the Bears’ radar.”
Jahns then cited Bears director of player personnel Trey Koziol. “Zah is a long corner, ran a 4.3, showed ability to take the ball away,” Koziol said, per Jahns. “Anytime you can get bigger, longer, faster on the defensive side of the ball, it’s a win.”
Can Rookie CB Zah Frazier Give Tyrique Stevenson Some Legit Competition?
Stevenson, while having shown flashes of real potential — he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice over his first two seasons — has also had some glaring issues.
Notably, and most famously, his mental lapse during a crucial Hail Mary play against the Washington Commanders, where he was caught taunting fans while subsequently failing to defend the game-winning touchdown pass, raised legitimate concerns about his focus and discipline.
He apologized for the incident, but other moments of blatant immaturity, including getting hit with a fine of just under $20,000 for tripping Detroit Lions wideout Jameson Willams, left Stevenson with more than a little something to prove. He has played in 32 games for Chicago, starting 30, but with a new DBs coach in Harris — who already has an affinity for Frazier — leading the way, Stevenson is going to have to prove himself all over again.
A Closer Look at What Frazier Brings to the Table for Chicago Bears
GettyCan new Bears CB Zah Frazier give Tyrique Stevenson some competition?
Frazier had a standout 2024 season, where he led UTSA with six interceptions—which ranked second in the FBS—also earning first-team All-AAC honors. He’s an impressive physical specimen, to be sure. With a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame, he ran an impressive 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. Whether his potential means he has a shot at making an immediate impact in the Bears’ secondary remains to be seen, but he’ll be a fun player to watch.
At UTSA, he faced some early challenges, including limited playing time and academic ineligibility. But he persevered and had a breakout year in 2024. Starting 10 games and playing in 12, his contributions also included nine pass breakups, 24 total tackles, a forced fumble and a QB hurry.
The odds Frazier could surpass the more experienced Stevenson and Smith are slim, but Jahns noting Stevenson has a ton to lose is worth paying attention to. With OTAs kicking off on May 20 and training camp following a little over a month after that, this will be one of the more compelling competitions to watch.
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