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DL Simon Fraser (Official Thread)

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That's GREAT news!!

I've actually gotten to meet both Simon and Mallory. Our family and Simon have bulldogs from the same litter, and when we went to pick up our new bully, Simon and Mallory were there picking up theirs. I'm happy to say that she is as wonderful a human being as Simon (and she's awful cute to boot!). It was fun talking a little about UA/Westerville South sports with Simon too.

Congradulations!!!! And way to go, Simon!
 
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12/31/05

BROWNS | NOTEBOOK
Fraser survives rookie year with Browns
Saturday, December 31, 2005

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns made 25 roster changes during the regular season.

Rookie defensive end and former Ohio State standout Simon Fraser was not involved in any of them.

For that reason, the Upper Arlington native considers his first season in the NFL a success.

Fraser worked his way up from an undrafted rookie free agent in April to make the team out of training camp in August. He then became a regular on special teams and stayed healthy throughout the season. He is expected to play in his 16 th consecutive game on Sunday.

"It’s been a big learning experience coming in on draft night and not knowing what will happen," Fraser said. "Then I made the squad, but that was just the first step of many steps that I took this season to get better.

And as the season progressed, I understand the system more and I understand what it takes to be successful in the NFL."

Statistically, Fraser has one tackle in very limited playing time as a reserve defensive lineman. But his blocking on special teams, particularly in the wedge on kickoff returns, has made him a valuable commodity.

Fraser signed a one-year contract with the Browns last spring and hopes to re-sign with the team again next season.
"I love it up here," Fraser said. "I like being close to home. I love the fans and this program is on the up and up. Hopefully, they’ll decide to keep me around for a little bit."
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DE Simon Fraser (official thread)

Did not see an official thread on Fraser, feel free to merge with existing threads if necessary.

CPD

4/6/06

Browns sign DL Fraser

Thursday, April 06, 2006

From staff reports

The Browns signed defensive end Simon Fraser to a one-year contract on Wednesday.

Fraser, who made the final roster as an undrafted free agent from Ohio State, was the only rookie to appear in all 16 games last year. He played mostly on special teams and also was a backup defensive end. He was credited with one tackle.
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Fraser has fond memories
By Zac Jackson, Staff Writer
June 12, 2006


Simon Fraser will be busy on the practice fields in Berea this week.

But if Fraser could be home in Columbus, where many of Ohio's top graduating high school football players are preparing for Saturday's Grange Insurance North-South All-Star Classic, he'd have some advice to offer the 80 or so players participating in this year's game and taking the next step in their attempt to follow Fraser's path.

"Enjoy it. Seize the moment," Fraser said last week. "Right now, these guys are on top of the world. But in a couple months when they get to college football camp, they'll be at the bottom of the totem pole again.

"So enjoy it - they earned it."

And they'd be wise to listen.

Five years ago this week, Fraser was atop the football world. After helping Upper Arlington High School win its only state championship in 2000 and arriving on the Ohio football scene with his dominating individual performance in the Division I state championship win over Solon, Fraser's encore was pretty good, too.

He was named North-South MVP after recording two sacks in the South's 20-7 victory.

Fraser then began a four-year Ohio State career that included a national championship and two Big Ten crowns. He made the Browns as undrafted rookie last season, playing a key special teams role and limited duty as a backup defensive end.

"The North-South Game gave me a lot of great memories," Fraser said. "It was the first time I got a chance to meet a lot of the guys I played with at Ohio State. And it's a big honor to be recognized for your senior season and to be able to play in a game that's been known for a long time and for a lot of great players."

The oldest high school all-star game in the country, the North-South Game has long been a showcase for players who went on to have outstanding college and pro careers. The list of game alumni also includes current Browns LeCharles Bentley and Matt Stewart as well as legendary quarterback Bernie Kosar and Hall of Fame wide receiver Paul Warfield.

A North-South alum has played in 38 of the 40 Super Bowls, most recently and notably Mike Vrabel of the Patriots and Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers. The game has also produced four Heisman Trophy winners: Vic Janowicz, Roger Staubach, Archie Griffin and Desmond Howard.

Fraser said he fist met his Ohio State teammates and future NFL first-day draft picks Dustin Fox (Vikings) and Mike Nugent (Jets) at the North-South Game. He also went head-to-head with two Clevelanders headed to Michigan who are now NFL rookies, Pierre Woods (Patriots) and Pat Massey (Chargers).

In 1998, Bentley played on a North offense that included his St. Ignatius teammate, quarterback Dave Ragone (Bengals), running back Tony Fisher (Packers), former NFL fullbacks Tom Lopienski and Jamar Martin, and guard Gene Mruczkowski of Benedictine, who played at Purdue and won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots. Shaker Heights' Nate Clements (Ohio State/Buffalo Bills) was also on the North team.

Though college football is the next and most important step for this year's North-South participants, the NFL is a realistic dream for many of them. And Fraser said the talent they'll see this week will give the players a great gauge of where they stand.

"The NFL was always a dream of mine and, sure, it seemed to be all coming together then," Fraser said. "Winning the state championship, getting invited to the North-South game, going to Ohio State, those are things you dream of as a little kid.

"I was living it. And when you get in that environment and you see best from Columbus Cincinnati and Dayton take on the best from Cleveland and Akron, there's some pride involved. You look around and see who really is the top dog. That means something."

"I think everybody knows the best players are from Cleveland," Bentley joked.

Fraser didn't exactly agree with Bentley's take, but he did have a thought of his own.

"LeCharles says all the best players come from Cleveland," Fraser said. "I say they all end up in Columbus."

Zac Jackson will provide color commentary for Fox Sports Ohio's broadcast of the Grange Insurance Ohio North-South All-Star Classic. Check local listings for broadcast times.
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http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news_room/news/arts/5437.0.html
 
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Fraser’s Buckeyes are No. 1
Monday, August 7, 2006 By Steve Doerschuk repository sports wRITER

BEREA -Big Simon Fraser will be a huge hit with Browns fans if he finishes off his budding breakthrough.

Fraser is on course to make the team and play a lot as Orpheus Roye’s backup at defensive end.

“Backing up Orpheus puts Simon in a pretty good position,” Head Coach Romeo Crennel said after Sunday’s practice.

With LeCharles Bentley down for the 2006 count, Fraser is the only Ohio State guy on the 89-man training camp roster.

Fraser is easy to notice partly because he’s the tallest member of the defense, at 6-foot-6, partly because he’s always grinding, partly because he’s so plugged into the region.

He has a mean streak on the field and a wry sense of humor off it. He understands why 10 reporters flocked to former Michigan star Braylon Edwards after Sunday’s practice, while one approached him — he also smiles at the irony.

The Buckeyes are still “us” to him.

“It’s a huge honor that we’re ranked No. 1,” he said of Ohio State’s 2006 team. “This team has a lot of good leadership. Hopefully it won’t be a distraction.

“Our national championship year, I think we were ranked 14th in the preseason. Rankings don’t mean much.”

National championships mean something. Fraser played for Ohio State’s 2002 team that beat Miami in the game for No. 1, despite the fact Ken Dorsey had a big day passing to Kellen Winslow Jr.

Dorsey was traded to the Browns this year.

“We tease each other all the time,” Fraser said. “It’s always fun getting on Dorsey.”

A year after hustling his way into the NFL as an undrafted rookie, Fraser is trying to prove he’s advanced enough to give the 33-year-old Roye some snaps off. He has a realistic chance to play 25 percent of the defensive downs early in the season, and more if he keeps making strides.

“He has a motor ... we noticed that last year. He’s improved his technique. He’s gained weight. He’s a pretty tough guy,” Head Coach Romeo Crennel said.

Fraser weighed in Sunday at 293 pounds. He spent part of the offseason working out at Ohio State and the rest getting stronger in Berea. There were endless hours of drills to improve hand and foot position.

“I feel stronger overall, stronger in my legs,” Fraser said. “I’m able to hold the point on the line of scrimmage.

“I think I’m a stride ahead of where I was last year. I still have a lot of improvement to make, but I’m working my butt off.”

Fraser, 23, still uses the fact he wasn’t drafted as motivation.

“I’m gonna be an underdog until I’m done playing,” he said. “I’m always gonna have that mark.

“Nothing’s written in stone. You work your butt off and let the chips fall where they may ... hopefully they fall in your favor.”

Fraser is in an ideal situation, in that the Browns have suspect depth on the defensive line. Crennel wants to use a deep rotation, and would welcome breakthrough by Fraser.

“I think they’re looking for six or seven solid guys they can rotate through,” said Fraser, who has learned both end positions and nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme. “At Ohio State, our big thing was rotating and keeping the D-line fresh.”

After signing with the Browns on April 29, 2005, Fraser missed some spring drills because he was finishing classes at Ohio State.

“I was playing a lot of catch-up,” he said. “I really didn’t know what my situation was.”

He impressed coaches enough to play in all 16 games, mostly on special teams. Now, he’s getting a real shot on defense.

“Now that I understand what they expect,” he said, “I’m able to be a little more comfortable, and go out and do my thing.”

Fraser is the cerebral type the Patriots tried to collect when Crennel was winning Super Bowl rings with New England. He was an Ohio State captain who was named the team’s best defensive lineman in 2004, and twice earned Big Ten All-Academic honors.

One school of thought has it that NFL players make their biggest jump from their first year to the second.

Fraser thought about that for a moment, then said, “That’s true in a way, and false in a way. The greater players, I think, seem to improve every year.”

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail [email protected].
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http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=17&ID=300865&r=3
 
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