2024 NFL Draft prospect profile: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan

What are the Giants looking for in a cornerback?

Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil doesn’t have many of the traits that normally get evaluators excited.

He’s short (5-foot-9), has okay (4.47) speed, and poor length (30 7/8 inch arms). However, any time you have a cornerback with six interceptions and two touchdowns in a single season, he warrants a closer look.

Sainristil started his career at Michigan as a receiver before transitioning to the defensive side of the ball full time in 2022. That explains his ball skills and why he’s just so good at the catch point. It also suggests that Sainristil is just scratching the surface of his upside at the position.

The New York Giants could be in the market for a cornerback, and they might not need the high-level traits demanded by a blitz-happy press-man coverage scheme. If so, could Sainristil be on their radar for his ball skills, football IQ, and potential upside?

Prospect: Mike Sainristil (0)
Games Watched: vs. Penn State (2023), vs. Maryland (2023), vs. Alabama (2023), vs. Washington (2023)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football

Strengths

• Quickness
• Agility
• Feet and hips
• Ball skills
• Zone coverage
• Football IQ

Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil is an undersized defender but has the quick feet, fluid hips, and twitchy athleticism to be an effective cover corner at the NFL level.

Sainristil played both outside and in the slot, often rotating from one alignment to the other during the pre-snap phase. He appears to be a very smart football player who’s an active communicator with his teammates, as well as disciplined in coverage. He does a good job of picking up and passing off receivers as they enter his coverage zones, and also has a very quick trigger on underneath plays.

Sainristil’s feet and hips allow him to stay with receivers throughout their routes, and his experience as a receiver allows him to navigate route concepts without being disrupted by schemed traffic.

A former receiver, Sainristil has fantastic ball skills. He shows an understanding of how to high-point the ball and is a “hands” catcher who came down with 6 interceptions (two touchdowns) in 2023. His closing burst and physicality also allowed him to knock away 13 passes in his two years at cornerback, including 6 this past year.

He’s also a highly physical defender who’s willing to take on blockers as well as get his hands dirty defending the run. He hustles in pursuit and is a willing tackler.

Weaknesses

• Experience at the position
• Height/length
• Long speed

Sainristil’s greatest weakness will be his size, or lack thereof. He simply lacks height and length at 5-foot-9, with 30-inch arms. He has impressive leaping ability (40-inch vertical), and understands how to time his jumps to high-point the ball. However, even average sized receivers will be able to play over or around him. That can also limit his ability to play press-man coverage on larger receivers, as well as take on blocks in the run game.

His limited length (and mass) also impact his ability as a tackler. Sainristil’s a willing and physical tackler, but he also has a limited tackle radius. That’s compounded by the fact the he’s definitely a “quicker than fast” athlete who lacks great long speed. His speed can also limit his ability to run with athletic receivers down the field, as well.

It’s also worth noting that Sainristil has only relatively recently transitioned to being a full-time defender. He was a receiver and special teams player during his first three years at Michigan.

Game Tape

(Sainristil is Michigan CB number 0, wearing yellow shoes and gloves)

Projection

Mike Sainristil projects as a starting slot corner at the NFL level. He’ll likely need to be drafted into a defense that primarily plays a zone defense, though he’s also able to play off-man coverage in the NFL.

Sainristil would not be a good fit for defenses that play a high rate of press-man coverage, and he might need to start as a depth piece as he continues to learn the cornerback position. He also lacks elite long speed and his length could limit him when taking on offensive players directly.

That said, his competitiveness, athleticism, football IQ, and ball skills could make him a legitimate game-changer at the next level. Sainristil obviously won’t be for every team, but he could make teams that overlook him for his stature ultimately look foolish.

Does he fit the Giants?
Possibly, depending on the scheme the Giants play and how they deploy their corners

Final Word: A Day 2 pick with the potential to out-play his draft slot