Jim Harbaugh has an eye for talent, and he apparently has an even better eye for seeing where that talent fits best.
Go back to his time at Stanford. Harbaugh made one of his most consequential switches, taking wide receiver Richard Sherman and making him a cornerback. Sherman became a star at the NFL-level for his prowess in the defensive backfield.
At Michigan, he has had several players who have made high-level switches (which we’ve chronicled). And while all eyes are on his latest move, wide receiver Amorion Walker to cornerback, a similar move he made last year paid off greatly.
PFF often reminds its followers on social media which players were atop their position groups and the outlet did so again on Thursday, tweeting that Michigan nickel back Mike Sainristil was the country’s top slot corner in the country in their estimation.
Highest graded Slot Cornerback last season:
〽️ Mike Sainristil – 82.2 pic.twitter.com/Rj9gWWMQgj
— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 10, 2023
Sainristil was recruited as a defensive back by many schools but came to Ann Arbor as a receiver. He only made the switch back to the defensive side of the ball in 2022, and he did so with rave reviews. His biggest play came in the biggest moment in the biggest game of the season when he knocked a sure touchdown out of Ohio State tight end Cade Stover’s hands to force the Buckeyes into a field goal situation.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]