It’s been quite the journey for former Michigan football cornerback Mike Sainristil.
A former three-star in the 2019 class, Sainristil was committed to Virginia Tech before making a late flip to the Wolverines, with whom he planned to play wide receiver. An early enrollee, Sainristil came on strong in spring ball, garnering significant hype and attention before falling into obscurity when the season actually started. He slowly gained traction as a receiver, but never matched the early hype.
Then, in 2022, he made a surprising position switch, moving to the defensive side of the ball. That is often seen as a desperation move. But playing primarily nickel, Sainristil didn’t hold his own, he thrived. First, it was the knockaway on Ohio State tight end Cade Stover in the end zone. Then he became a turnover machine in 2023, clearly the best defensive player on the field in a unit that was rife with defensive talent.
The two-year team captain was often overlooked, but that officially ended when Sainristil was selected by the Washington Commanders with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Though diminutive in size, Sainristil plays much bigger than his 5-foot-9, 182-pound frame.
As a receiver, Sainristil had 37 catches for 539 yards and five touchdowns. As a defensive back, in 2023 alone, he had six interceptions (including two pick sixes), and his pick against Washington sealed the national championship for the maize and blue. Huskies star receiver Jalen McMillan told reporters at the NFL scouting combine that Sainristil was the toughest player he went up against in college.