Quinn Meinerz could be final addition to Chiefs’ offensive line

A very Merry Draftmas to you!

We continue our tradition of profiling an NFL Draft prospect every day in April, leading up to the NFL Draft on April 29th. Every day, you’ll get a prospect profile that includes how they would fit with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The draft is finally upon us! Barring Brett Veach making an aggressive move up the board, the Chiefs won’t be making a selection until Friday. When they settle in on Day 2, there’s an intriguing interior offensive line prospect to consider.

Quinn Meinerz, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

6’3” | 320 lbs | Wisconsin-Whitewater

Hartford, WI

Grade (round): Third round

Background: NCAA Division III student-athlete who participated in the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl. Business major and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Scholastic honor roll in 2017 and 2019. Two-time first-team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performer at guard. Was named an AP Division III All-American. One of four captains during his final season at UW-Whitewater. Winner of the team’s Glen Willis Offensive Lineman of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards.

Strengths: Meinerz is a small-school prospect with outstanding football character. He had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, making improvements every day. Despite the broken hand he had sustained during the week, he begged to play in the game. Meinerz displays an ability to play all three interior spots, but he stood out when asked to play center — something he didn’t do at UW-Whitewater. Meinerz popped with the ball in his hands. Despite limited experience at the position, he executed difficult blocks and did a great job helping his teammates. Meinerz has a very good athletic profile. He has impressive feet and does a great job keeping them moving. He’s a nasty finisher in the running game — and will punish in pass protection. He has shown promising hand technique. Meinerz absorbs contact well, showing great flexibility through his frame. He also moves well to the second level, taking good angles and getting good contact.

Weaknesses: Despite an outstanding performance at the Senior Bowl, there will still be a large learning curve as he transitions from NCAA Division III to the NFL. At times in Mobile, he was light — which could be attributed to acclimating to the speed of the game. Even during Senior Bowl week, he didn’t really see a lot of competition against 300-plus pound players; a lot of slighter defensive tackles were on the roster. Even though he showed everything he possibly could in Mobile, there are a lot of question marks about his ability to handle legitimate interior size and power. At times, Meinerz can get caught out over his feet; as a highly functional athlete, he doesn’t need to be lunging.

How he fits with the Chiefs: It might be considered bold to take a chance on a small-school prospect on Day 2, but it would not be a surprise to see the Chiefs take a swing on Meinerz. He’s a talented player; an athlete with high football character. There’s a limited sample size of Meinerz at the center, but he has shown promise to be a long-term starter to protect Patrick Mahomes. If the Chiefs select him. he will quickly become a fan favorite.

Player Comp: Frank Ragnow

Fit Likelihood: High

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