How OL Quinn Meinerz fits with the Broncos

[Miles]

Against some of the top draft-eligible prospects, Meinerz showed the traits he displayed at Whitewater were transferable to the next level. A 6-foot-3, 320-pound player, Meinerz is explosive off the line of scrimmage and has the strength to move defenders off the line in the run game. He finishes blocks with power, and he also showed desired capability with his hands in the passing game.


During a team run drill, Meinerz pushed UCLA defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa yards down the field. In a one-on-one pass-rush drill, he forced Pittsburgh's Patrick Jones II to the ground after Jones' spin move failed to gain any traction. Both Odighizuwa and Jones were third-round picks who were taken 23 and eight spots ahead of Meinerz, respectively.


"I think he rose up everyone's draft board because there were a lot of unknowns about him," Paton said. "When you see him in one-on-one drills blocking guys that are first- and second-round picks, it was pretty amazing. You don't see that very often. The more you dig into the person, the player, Whitewater, and where he came from, I think that he rose on everyone's draft boards."


Despite playing left guard in college, Meinerz will begin his Broncos career at center and also cross-train at the guard positions. To earn playing time, Meinerz will have to unseat an incumbent starter. Lloyd Cushenberry III played every snap at center in 2020 after the team took him with a third-round pick last year, while Dalton Risner enters his third season as the team's starting left guard. Right guard Graham Glasgow, a 2020 free-agent addition, appeared in 13 games in his first year in Denver.


Meinerz joins 2020 sixth-round pick Netane Muti as interior offensive linemen with tantalizing ability. It's no stretch to say that the interior of the Broncos' offensive line is one of the deepest areas on Denver's roster.


Despite the depth, Meinerz should provide instant competition along the interior of the line. While he will have to get used to the speed and talent at the NFL level, his body may be more NFL-ready than most prospects.


When he faces off against Denver's talented defensive line — and later against opposing NFL competition — Meinerz will aim to add a few more highlights to his reel. They may not garner as much attention as him shoving a tree in the wilderness, but they just may help him earn a spot on the field.