Denver Broncos: 4 Non-starters who can make an impact
Quinn Meinerz
The Denver Broncos’ selection of Quinn Meinerz was a fan favorite following the weekend of the 2021 NFL Draft, and though Meinerz has yet to take a snap in game action for the Broncos, and may not even take starting snaps in 2021, is already a big fan-favorite among the fanbase.
The large reason the success of Quinn Meinerz is so rooted for is that Meinerz already accomplished a difficult feat. Meinerz made his dreams of being drafted onto an NFL roster come true after playing for a Division III school, Wisconsin-Whitewater, a largely successful Division III program. Of course, chasing NFL dreams while playing for a D3 school is no easy task, and many NFL-worthy prospects playing at smaller schools often get completely overlooked by scouting departments.
Fortunately, the Denver Broncos’ scouts did not miss out on the linemen with noted strengths such as pristine core strength and the ability to keep defenders guessing. Though Meinerz has not played meaningful football in over a year due to Division III canceling the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Meinerz did not take the year off, instead finding unique ways to train, as fans may have seen on draft night.
Currently, Meinerz is listed as the second-string center behind Lloyd Cushenberry. One notable concept about Meinerz is his versatility–he excelled at the left guard position, even earning All-American honors. It is very likely that, if needed, Meinerz could make the transition to right guard and compete against Graham Glasgow, whose contract with the team is on borrowed time.
Even if that does not happen until the distant future, Meinerz will bring competitiveness to the center position in 2021, and Broncos Country should expect a strong battle at center if not even right guard in training camp.