Tag: Mike Sainristil

Commanders NFL Draft grades: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan 50th overall

Commanders NFL Draft grade for selecting Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan 50th overall

The Commanders add their missing piece to the Dan Quinn defense with the addition of their potential nickel with Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil at the 50th overall selection.

Sainristil projects as a potential immediate starter as the Commanders third corner in nickel packages. He will join last year’s first-round pick, Emmanuel Forbes, in a young and juiced-up secondary that could make a quick turnaround from a shaky year last season.

Tough, explosive, instinctive, and physical, Sainristil was an anchor on the college national champion defense. Sainristil should be productive early and be a tempo sitter with big hits and confident toughness.

Grade: B+

Commanders select Michigan CB Mike Sainristil at No. 50 overall

The Commanders select Mike Sainristil at No. 50 overall.

The Washington Commanders selected Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil at No. 50 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Washington was selecting at No. 50 after an earlier trade down with the Eagles that gave the Commanders No. 50, 53 and 161.

Sainristil started parts of four seasons at Michigan and began his college career as a wide receiver. While considered undersized (5-foot-9, 182), He is tough and physical and is still adjusting to playing cornerback, which insists his best football is ahead of him.

Sainristil moved to cornerback for the Wolverines and excelled. He was one of Michigan’s key starters on the 2023 national championship team.

Here is NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Sainristil:

Reliable and tough with the athleticism and upside to keep getting better as a nickel corner. Sainristil is a former receiver who plays with surprising field awareness and attention to detail as a zone defender. He has the twitch and footwork to stay connected with routes in man coverage but needs more experience at the position to operate with better recognition and feel for the routes. He showed off top-notch ball skills with six interceptions (two for scores) in 2023 and has no problem stepping up and doing his part as a run defender. Sainristil isn’t there yet but should keep improving and has a chance to become a starting nickel in time.

 

Mike Sainristil finds pro home after being selected in 2024 NFL draft

Gonna miss Mike so much! #GoBlue

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.

20 best players available for Ravens on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever. Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the …

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever.

Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the board without trading up.

Rounds two and three will play out on Friday night, and the Eagles will have two picks in Round 2 and none in Round 3.

Here is our list of the best players on the board during day two of the NFL draft.

Raiders Draft Radar: Top cornerback fits by round

It seems like every year the Raiders head into the draft with a need at the cornerback position. This year is no exception. While they had Nate Hobbs locking down the slot, the boundaries were a revolving door of cornerbacks that is still not …

It seems like every year the Raiders head into the draft with a need at the cornerback position. This year is no exception. While they had Nate Hobbs locking down the slot, the boundaries were a revolving door of cornerbacks that is still not settled.

From the looks of things, Jack Jones is the answer on one side, but the other side is very much in need of an influx of talent. The team flat out ignored the position in free agency, leaving them in the same situation today.

Though it’s hard to really blame them for being skeptical that free agency would solve anything. Last year, they signed two cornerbacks early in free agency (David Long Jr and Duke Shelley) and then Marcus Peters just before camp and none of them were on the team by the end of last season.

They also drafted Jakorian Bennett in the fourth round and he was benched after four starts. So, now they must take another shot at it and you would figure that would happen by the end of day two. Perhaps more than once.

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2024 NFL draft: A cornerback in every round for the Steelers

One of the biggest moves the Pittsburgh Steelers made this offseason was to trade away wide receiver Diontae Johnson, getting cornerback Donte Jackson in return. This gives the Steelers a pair of starting cornerbacks on the outside but there remains …

One of the biggest moves the Pittsburgh Steelers made this offseason was to trade away wide receiver Diontae Johnson, getting cornerback Donte Jackson in return. This gives the Steelers a pair of starting cornerbacks on the outside but there remains a need for a quality slot cornerback. Or, if the Steelers want to kick Jackson inside, Pittsburgh will want to look for another boundary cornerback.

Here is a cornerback for the Steelers to consider in each round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Report links Panthers to rising CB prospect Mike Sainristil

NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline is hearing that the Panthers are a “possibility” for Michigan CB Mike Sainristil.

The Carolina Panthers may very well use one of their two second-round picks to shore up their secondary.

Sportskeeda consulting editor and NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline dished out his latest set of insider notes on Monday. Included in the post is a nugget regarding University of Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil, who may be rising up boards with less than two weeks until the picking begins.

Pauline writes that the 23-year-old’s post-combine interviews have been “off the charts,” and goes as far as to say that some have described him as a “genius.” He also mentions that the Panthers could be in on Sainristil during the early stages of Day 2:

So where could Sainristil end up? People I’ve spoken with believe the Carolina Panthers at the top of Round 2 are a possibility, as are the Los Angeles Chargers with the 37th pick. Both teams need cornerbacks and in Los Angeles, Sainristil would be reunited with Jim Harbaugh. Based on conversations the past two weeks, there are few teams have Sainristil getting out of round two.

Sainristil comes into the NFL off a highly-decorated campaign at Ann Arbor—receiving first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten nods, and capping it all off with a national title victory.

The 5-foot-9, 182-pounder, who will likely be positioned as a nickel corner at the pro level, could be in Carolina’s range with the 33rd and 39th overall selections.

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Panthers come away with 4-player haul in ESPN’s 3-round mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates ended up with a pretty solid three-round haul for the Panthers.

The Carolina Panthers have themselves a little golden nugget with the 33rd overall selection of the 2024 NFL draft. So, how will they cash it in?

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates just took turns churning out picks for a fresh three-round mock. And as far as Pick No. 33 goes, the former sells it off to the Los Angeles Rams for the 52nd pick, 83rd pick and a 2025 third-rounder.

After the Rams use that swap to take Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Panthers get their first shot with the 39th overall pick. Kiper goes with Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey:

I thought about cornerback and edge rusher, but this might be a great spot to add a talented wideout to one of the worst receiving corps in the league. McConkey just knows how to get open.

Next up is No. 52, where Yates takes Michigan cornerback Mike Sanristil:

Sainristil would be an excellent nickel for Carolina. He has a penchant for forcing turnovers — he had six picks in 2023 — and is standout tackler.

Kiper is then behind the wheel for No. 65, where Alabama pass rusher Chris Braswell comes off:

Braswell is another instant contributor for the Panthers in this draft. He is an underrated pass-rusher after registering eight sacks last season. Carolina’s pass rush struggled big-time in 2023.

And to wrap it up, Kansas State tight end/fullback Ben Sinnott is Kiper’s choice at No. 83:

Sinnott is my top-ranked H-back, but he can be used mostly as a tight end, especially in a thin class. His 676 receiving yards last season ranked fourth among FBS tight ends. He measured 6-foot-4 and weighed 250 pounds at the combine, and he could quickly rise to the top of the Panthers’ depth chart.

The four-player haul includes three prospects at premium positions in wideout, corner and pass rusher. Sprinkling in Sinnott, who visited the team last week, is also a solid investment given the Panthers’ lack of production from the tight end spot.

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Lions host local pro day for NFL draft prospects

Lions host local pro day for NFL draft prospects and here’s who participated

The Detroit Lions hosted their annual pro day for locally based NFL draft prospects on Tuesday. Over 20 players took advantage of the workout opportunity.

The local pro day primarily featured players from nearby colleges, with many prospects from Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Michigan State. They were joined by prospects with Detroit roots as well, including players from UCLA, LSU and Texas A&M.

These players and their participation do not count against the Lions limit of 30 official pre-draft visits.

The attendees, with the local colleges followed by the local prospects who played collegiately outside of the regional area:

  • Karsen Barnhart, OL, Michigan
  • Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan
  • Judge Culpepper, DT, Toledo
  • Hamze El-Zayat, WR, Eastern Michigan
  • Jaylen Harrell, LB, Michigan
  • Trevor Keegan, OL, Michigan
  • Chase Kline, LB, Eastern Michigan
  • Tanner Knue, WR, Eastern Michigan
  • Chris McDonald, CB, Toledo
  • Tre Mosley, LB, Michigan State
  • Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
  • Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
  • Jordan Anderson, S, UCLA
  • Theo Day, QB, Northern Iowa
  • Josh DeBerry, CB, Texas A&M
  • James Ester, DT, Northern Illinois
  • Kalon Gervin, CB, Kansas
  • Ovie Oghoufo, DL, LSU
  • Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson
  • Reggie Pearson, S, Oklahoma
  • Walter Reynolds, S, Ohio
  • Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
  • Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn