Josh Fryar is reuniting with Justin Frye.
The former Ohio State offensive tackle signed with the Arizona Cardinals, who hired Frye as their offensive line coach this offseason, as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the NFL draft on Saturday.
#Cardinals are signing tackle Josh Fryar to deal that includes $35,000 signing bonus, $234,000 base salary guarantee, $269,000 total guaranteed, per a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 26, 2025
In addition to Frye, his former offensive line coach at Ohio State, Fryar joins four of his former Ohio State teammates in Arizona. The Cardinals selected Cody Simon in the fourth round and Denzel Burke in the fifth round of this year’s draft after drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. in the first round of the 2024 draft and Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round of the 2023 draft.
Fryar arrives in the NFL with 30 starts of experience, including 29 consecutive starts to close his career in 2023 and 2024. He emerged as Ohio State's stalwart right tackle during its national championship run, gutting out a lower-body injury to help deliver the title. Criticized for his pass blocking in 2023, he allowed just one sack in 2024, per Pro Football Focus, allowing none in four College Football Playoff games.
It was the payoff of an arduous five-year career.
“Way sweeter now,” Fryar said in Ohio State's locker room after the Buckeyes' national championship win. “Just all the hardships and just thinking, when is this going to end? When is the misery going to end? It ended now. It ended during the playoffs. We were just playing free.”
Fryar established a reputation as a mauling run-blocker but fell a few votes short of receiving an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. Fryar called it "fuel to the fire" at Ohio State's pro day on March 26.
"It's something that I wanted to do, but at the end of the day, it's just another chapter in the story of the underdog mentality," Fryar said.
Fryar believes his versatility is a selling point at the next level. He entered Ohio State as a guard and played 62 snaps at the position against Michigan in 2022.
"I was telling (the scouts) I could play all five," Fryar said. "I don't really have a preference where I play. I just want to help a team win. Just help them win and help them have a great franchise."
Fryar is the fourth Ohio State offensive lineman from last year's team to join the professional ranks, following first-round NFL draft picks Donovan Jackson (No. 24, Vikings) and Josh Simmons (No. 32, Chiefs) and fellow undrafted free agent Seth McLaughlin, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
