The stories behind the draft
With my job as a sports reporter, and considering how much I enjoy covering sports for a living, it surprise people that I don’t get involved in any fantasy football leagues in the fall.
It’s not that I have anything against fantasy football, far from it, it’s just that for me, it’s another rabbit hole I’d rather not go down. I know myself too well, and I know if I did get involved, it would just be another sporting obsession to add to the list, and I have enough of those already, thank you very much.
That doesn’t mean I don’t follow storylines and career trajectories of the athletes that make up the National Football League. I always follow any players that were with the Wisconsin Badgers, but there’s always at least one or two guys that I find myself rooting for, simply because by getting to the NFL they’ve succeeded against all odds.
That’s probably why I love the NFL draft so much. Yes, the 40-yard dash times are impressive, as are the feats of strength with the bench press. It’s always fun to see which schools have under the radar prospects, or which player comes out of nowhere to get drafted.
In the end, only 256 players will hear their names called through the seven rounds of the draft, but each of those picks, and all the other undrafted free agents, have great stories.
A few years ago, I heard about a young man named Pierre Desir. He is of Haitian descent, is the son of immigrants, and was overlooked by college scouts. He spent his college days playing in the NCAA D-II ranks, first for Washburn University, and then for Lindenwood University.
Along with school and football, he was also working to provide for his now wife and baby daughter. When I learned about his story he became a sentimental favorite of mine. I cheered when he was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round. Desir is still in the NFL, and is playing safety for the Seattle Seahawks. He is entering his seventh season.
This year I’m following another player, and he’s also got quite the incredible story. His name is Quinn Meinerz, and he’s a fellow Wisconsinite. Meinerz grew up in Hartford, where he played three sports was named All-State on both the offensive and defensive line. He had great size and weight, but did not receive a single NCAA D-1 offer.
He chose to take his talents to NCAA D-III powerhouse UW - Whitewater, and turned himself into a D-III All-American. Then COVID-19 hit and Whitewater cancelled its 2020 season. Meierz took it in stride, and spent the off-season lifting and training, while also hunting and fishing in Ontario.
Affectionately calling himself “The Gut” the 6’3”, 320 pound center turned in a huge effort at the Senior Bowl, wowing scouts with his size and tenacity. Now he’s gone from relative unknown D-III prospect to a potential second to fourth round draft pick.
When we watch games, it’s easy to curse a player for a mistake, but we so often forget that there’s a person behind the helmet, and that each one has a story.
M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS
ROSS PATTERMANN REPORTER
