Zak Zinter finds comfort in Michigan 'friend group' as Browns rookie adjusts to NFL life

BEREA — The next stage of Zak Zinter's life, as well as football career, started in earnest on Friday with the opening of the Browns' rookie minicamp. However, before he took that next step, he checked in again with those closest to him from his previous stage at the University of Michigan.

For all of them, it was one more chance to catch up before starting the opportunities of their lives in the NFL. It also was just another chance to be a group of early 20-somethings who haven't gotten all the way away from college to play a little Call of Duty and escape from the world.

"We were on a group FaceTime call for probably an hour and a half two days before we all got on the plane to come here," Zinter told the Beacon Journal at rookie minicamp on Friday. "I mean, it's just shooting the s***, catching up. I mean, you listen to that conversation, you're like, what is going on here? And then we hop on the video game and we're talking over the headset and playing, that kind of stuff. So I mean, even just comparing like, 'Hey, how was your day?' You guys do all that kind of stuff. I mean, it's unbelievable to have that kind of friend group."

One of those on the group chat with Zinter was Karsen Barnhart. While the former was preparing to start his life as a third-round draft pick of the Browns, the latter was in Los Angeles, trying to make it as an undrafted free agent with the Chargers, coached by their former college head coach, Jim Harbaugh.

While at Michigan, it was Zinter and Barnhart who were often lined up next to one another, with Zinter at right guard and Barnhart at right tackle. Last year, they also were roommates together in a house near campus in Ann Arbor.

The last few months, though, have kept the group separated. Every one had their own different routine as they were getting themselves prepared for the opportunity to make the league.

What wasn't different was being able to get on the group chat, or whatever the video game of choice may have been, and make the hundreds of miles vanish.

"I think the biggest thing was that we all were playing video games together after our days were over training," Barnhart said Thursday in a phone interview with the Beacon Journal. "So we're all spread out across the country, but we're still able to talk to one another through the microphone. So that was I think really what helped get us through it all."

No one may have had more to get through, though, than Zinter. While his fellow Michigan teammates were showcasing their abilities to coaches and general managers at the NFL combine and the school's pro day, he wasn't able to do the drills as he recovered from a leg injury sustained last Nov. 25 when his new Browns teammate, then-Ohio State defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr., fell into his left leg and ended his college career.

Zinter broke both the tibia and fibula in his leg on the play. The injury required surgery, in which a steel rod was put in the leg.

While it prevented Zinter from being on the field when Michigan won first the Big Ten championship, then the national title, it hasn't slowed up his NFL dreams. After all, as he himself acknowledged Friday, it wasn't like he had his leg amputated.

"There was no ligament damage, just clean bone break and I'm feeling good moving around," Zinter said. "So I think in a sense of maybe media-wise, they're all worried about the leg, just because. I mean, I broke my leg. It is what it is. You play in the trenches, injuries happen and all that kind of stuff. But I mean, I think my resume still stands for itself and my leg stronger than it was before. There's a little rod in there that's not going to break even if someone tries to break it."

It was Barnhart who stepped into Zinter's spot on the Michigan offensive line after that injury.

"I mean he's going to be a terrific player in the NFL, for sure," Barnhart said. "I mean, yeah, it sucks what happened to him, but he's got a steel rod in his leg now. That thing's pretty much indestructible. He looks, from what I've seen recently, he looked great to be able to go full-go and yeah, the Browns got a good one, that's for sure."

Zinter made his return to football practice on Friday as a full participant in the first day of drills at rookie minicamp. He was showed no signs of the leg impeding his mobility as all, showing good burst off the snap.

The work will continue over the final two days of rookie minicamp. At that point, the real transition begins as Zinter and the rest of the rookie acclimate into the full team, or at least the ones who are participating in the voluntary portion of the offseason program.

Eventually, though, Zinter will walk into one of the most experienced positions on the team. The Browns' heavy investment into the offensive line has shown in the caliber of players along that line, especially at guard, where Zinter has a pair of Pro Bowlers to look up to in Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller.

Zinter said he's exchanged texts with Bitonio after he was drafted by the Browns, but hadn't had much more contact than that with the veterans. What he's not worried about, because he went through the same process as a freshman at Michigan, will be getting comfortable within the group.

"An offensive line's kind of a team in itself within the bigger team," Zinter said. "You've got to work with all five guys, and especially when there's established guys there, they know each other. They know how they play. So with the new guy coming in, you're working with reps, getting to learn how they play, how you play, so you can mesh well together. And I think you just got to have that mindset of keep your head down and work and let what you do on the field earn the respect of your teammates for sure."

At Michigan, one of those established guys was Barnhart. When Zinter enrolled at Michigan in January, 2020, Barnhart had already been through a season, making him at least somewhat familiar with the way things go for the linemen.

However, it didn't take long for the younger one to gain the respect of his older teammates. Nor, do those former teammates think it'll take Zinter long to get himself established at the next level as well.

"I remember him showing up with the baby face and just kind of a shy guy at first," Barnhart said. "That's who I remember. Now, I mean, it speaks for itself. He gets drafted in the third round, he's just an animal on the field, he's a competitor and just an awesome guy to have in the locker room."

If you have any other questions about that, there's a group chat out there or a Call of Duty game you may sneak your way onto to find out more.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Zak Zinter's Michigan 'friend group' aiding Browns, NFL adjustment