Denver Broncos were big winners on day two of the 2021 NFL Draft

2. Quinn Meinerz, OL, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Meinerz made himself a lot of fans at the 2021 Senior Bowl when he brought out his big gut and let his personality shine.

As big as this guy’s personality is, his game is even bigger.

Meinerz was projected to land in the second round on day two of the 2021 NFL Draft, but for whatever reason, the centers were not coming off the board as quickly as many expected. Creed Humphrey, the three-year starter at center for the Oklahoma Sooners and one-time projected first-round pick, ended up going in the late second to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Denver Broncos got themselves a similar value in Meinerz at the bottom of the third round, a small-school player (Wisconsin-Whitewater) whose 2020 season was canceled, but Meinerz’s work was not finished.

He put enough on tape at Wisconsin-Whitewater and the 2021 Senior Bowl where he was dominant against some of the best competition in the country to get the call from the Denver Broncos.

This guy tested above the 90th percentile in just about every athletic metric, he has long arms and big hands for an interior lineman, and he’s as much refined as he is nasty.

Just one year after the Broncos used a third-round pick on Lloyd Cushenberry, you can’t help but wonder if Meinerz is going to get a look for this team as a potential future replacement for Graham Glasgow at the right guard position.

Even then, Netane Muti is another exciting prospect who played well for the Broncos when he got a shot last year.

If the Broncos want to go entirely home-grown, maybe Dalton Risner will move out to right tackle someday and Meinerz, Cushenberry, and Muti will man the interior line.

This selection was awesome for the Denver Broncos, especially at pick 98 overall.