Berea – Don’t look now but undrafted rookie free agent Simon Fraser is
quietly having a pretty good training camp. Normally, a player not drafted is
not given much of a chance to make an NFL roster, but with the switch to the 3-4
and a plethora of inexperienced defensive linemen, Fraser is in the mix.
“He’s a very active young man,” Romeo Crennel said. “He’s got some juice,
some energy out there. He’s moving around on the depth chart.”
Fraser is listed as the backup at left end behind Orpheus Roye—ahead of
sixth-round draft choice Andrew Hoffman and second-year player Amon Gordon. He
was listed on the third team prior to the Giants’ preseason game.
“I’m in a great place,” Fraser said. “Whether or not I was drafted or not at
all, we’re on the same level out on the field. I just want to compete for a
place on the team.”
Fraser doesn’t want to get too excited yet.
“It’s too early to tell,” he said. “I’m definitely getting more reps in
practice, but the coaches are moving a lot of people around now.”
Fraser (6-6, 288 pounds) was a solid player at Ohio State, but was lost in a
rebuilding period on the defensive line after the 2003 season. He played in all
51 games with the Buckeyes totaling 88 tackles, including 10 sacks, 22 tackles
for loss, 16 passes broken up, two forced fumbles and one recovered fumble
Fraser batted down a Trent Dilfer pass and caught the ball with one hand for
an interception last week at practice. He has knocked down several passes thus
far in training camp.
“Batting down passes is a technique I’ve worked on to try and obscure the
quarterbacks throwing motion,” Fraser said. “I try to use my size to disrupt
the quarterback if I can’t get to him.”
Playing in front of over 100,000 people a week at Ohio State was a platform
Fraser was used to but he still got a thrill playing his first NFL game last
week.
“This is the elite level,” he said. “It was very exciting for me and my
family to be a part of.”