2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Michigan DB Mike Sainristil

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day Three selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, a scouting report on Michigan DB Mike Sainristil.

#0 MIKE SAINRISTIL, DB, MICHIGAN (R-SENIOR) – 5090, 182 POUNDS

Senior Bowl Invite 

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Acceptable size and length for the slot corner position
— Physical defender for his size, throwing his body into the fray
— Rugged run defender who has no qualms about contact
— Looks to be the hammer on a nail when he meets a running back or pass catcher
— Possesses the awareness to go for the strip on a tackle and to punch at the football contesting passes
— Operates well in zone coverage where he can undercut routes and come downhill on receivers
— Has position versatility, having played outside corner, nickel corner, split zone safety, and in the box
— Shows great pursuit of the football, getting up to top speed quickly as he plays chase to the ball
— Does a great job on the blitz, putting pressure on the passer or getting home for the sack
— Has a knack for jumping routes with six interceptions in 2023
— Instincts put him in great position to contest passes or step in front of intended targets
— Can play immediately on special teams coverage units

THE BAD

— A tad undersized if utilized at outside corner at the next level
— Doesn’t have the greatest length at the position
— Timed long speed and quickness could be a concern
— Eyes can deceive him at times in zone coverage, leading to busts
— Can get a little grabby when receivers manage to get a step of separation on him
— Lacks high twitch to quickly change directions at top of receiver’s route
— Size profile could limit his versatility at the next level

BIO

— Redshirt senior from Everett, Mass.
— Born Oct. 3, 2000 (age 23)
— Born in Port Au Prince, Haiti
— Musician who plays violin, piano and drums as well as member of the church choir
— Pursuing a Master’s degree in social work
— Played wide receiver and defensive back in high school and had six interceptions as a senior, adding 32 catches for 792 yards and 12 touchdowns as well as 290 rushing yards and five touchdowns
— 2018-19 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year
— Committed to Michigan as a wide receiver
— Appeared in all 13 games with one start in 2019 and caught eight passes for 145 yards with one touchdown
— Appeared in all six games with three starts in 2020 and caught seven passes for 82 yards with two touchdowns
— Appeared in all 14 games with five starts in 2021 and caught 22 passes for 312 yards with two touchdowns, had kickoff returns, and made five solo tackles in special teams coverage
— Switched from wide receiver to defensive back prior to the 2022 season
— Appeared in all 14 games with 11 starts at cornerback in 2022 an made 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, and eight pass breakups
— Started all 15 games at cornerback in 2023, posting 44 total tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, six interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), and six pass deflections
— Appeared in 62 games in his career at wide receiver, defensive back, and on special teams with 34 starts (nine on offense, 25 on defense)
— First-team All-American (2023), All-Big Ten second team (2023), All-Big Ten honorable mention (2022)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Michigan DB Mike Sainristil has had quite the journey since arriving on campus in Ann Arbor. He was the top dog coming out of the state of Massachusetts, winning Gatorade Player of the Year as the state’s top cornerback prospect but opted to play at wide receiver after enrolling at Michigan. He played there his first three seasons before transitioning to the other side of the football, finding his home at defensive back where he blossomed into a star player. Sainristil became Mr. Splash Play in 2023, generating eight turnovers and two touchdowns for the team’s defense.

When you pop in the tape on Sainristil, you see a physical, aggressive defensive back who has no issue going after ball carriers as a tackler. As you can see in the clips below, Sainristil invites contact, aggressively chasing after the football after the catch and making the tackle in both plays with the second clips showing Sainristil going for the strip after securing the tackle.

Sainristil shows relentless pursuit of the ball both as a run defender as well as in pass coverage, rallying to the football in a hurry like you see in the clip below. Sainristil, reading the underneath screen pass, works his way through the wave of blockers to stick the receiver with a strong hit as he turns up field, limiting his yards after the catch.

Sainristil feeds off big hits, dishing out punishment many wouldn’t expect to come from the 5-10, 182-pound defensive back. Check out this play against Ohio State where Sainristil reads the swing pass to the running back in the flat. He comes downhill and drops the runner in his tracks with a big shot, leading with his shoulder pad into the runner’s torso to cut him down.

Sainristil is also a capable blitzer coming off the edge on the nickel blitz, getting into the backfield in a hurry to either bottle up the running back or put pressure on the quarterback looking to pass. He does the latter in the clip below against Bowling Green, evading the cut block by the running back as he gets to the quarterback and suplexes him for the sack.

Sainristil’s physical nature also aids in his ability to contest passes and compete with bigger receivers at the catch point. Watch this play below against the Buckeyes where Sainristil drops into zone coverage to cover the sideline on the bottom of your screen and sees the quarterback target the tight end running the shallow drag route across the line of scrimmage. Sainristil comes downhill and hits the tight end as the ball arrives, forcing the incomplete pass as he plays through the intended target’s hands.

When he drops into coverage, Sainristil has a knack for going after the football. A former wide receiver, Sainristil plays the ball in the air like a receiver and combines his instincts and ability to read the quarterback’s eyes to put himself in the right place at the right time more often than not. Watch this rep where Sainristil is playing deep third of the field in Michigan’s prevent defense late in the national championship game against Washington. He sees the overthrow by Michael Penix Jr., stepping in front of the pass for the interception that he ends up returning deep into Washington territory.

Still, there are some issues that pop up in Sainristil’s game when it comes to pass coverage. His aggressiveness can hurt him at times as he likes to get grabby with receivers at the top of their routes when he feels like they are getting a step of separation on him. That’s what we see here in the clip below. Sainristil hooks WR Jalen McMillan’s hip with his left arm as the ball sails over the latter’s head drawing the penalty flag, Sainristil holding up McMillan as he started to get some separation on the over route.

Sainristil is a good athlete, but his long speed and foot quickness can be exposed at times when manned up with receivers. Watch the play below as Sainristil lines up in the slot with McMillan across from him, giving him a quick jab step to the left to freeze Sainristil as he breaks inside on the slant. Sainristil gives up the inside release, his feet glued to the turf, as McMillan gets the easy pitch-and-catch touchdown from Penix. Sainristil needs to be quicker on his feet to better contest the end zone pass.

CONCLUSION

Mike Sainristil is an experienced defensive back who played all over the Michigan secondary, seeing time both inside and on the perimeter while also taking snaps at safety and in the box. That experience will make him more attractive to teams looking for a versatile nickel cornerback at the next level that can be moved all over the field. His splash-play skill set as a coverage defender, downhill blitzer and run defender will also be coveted. Sainristil is an ideal starting nickel corner at the next level who can also get some run on the outside should he prove that his long speed isn’t a problem at the NFL Combine.

When coming up of a pro comparison for Sainristil, former Steelers CB Mike Hilton quickly stood out as a player with similar size, athleticism, and skill set. Hilton is also a physical run defender and operates well coming on the blitz, making his presence felt near the line of scrimmage. He also has developed over time into a quality coverage defender at the nickel spot, being able to match up with slot receivers and put himself in position to make plays.

Pittsburgh needs a quality slot cornerback with Chandon Sullivan and Patrick Peterson primarily playing in that role this past season. Sainristil does have his issues in coverage, but his prowess as a run defender as well as in zone coverage should be able to get him on the field quickly for whatever team selects him, likely becoming a quality starting nickel corner in the league sooner rather than later.

Projection: Late Day Two/Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.7 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (Third Round)
Games Watched: vs Washington (2023), vs Ohio State (2023), vs Bowling Green (2023)