Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil will be happy to be drafted by any of the 32 NFL teams. But though born in Massachusetts and a New England Patriots fan growing up, he appreciated their battles against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And wouldn’t mind teaming up with CB Joey Porter Jr. at the next level.
Sainristil gave Pro Football Focus a 1-on-1 interview that included this nugget about his NFL dreams.
“Growing up in Massachusetts after fleeing with his family from his native Haiti, Sainristil became a fan of the New England Patriots but also admired the Pittsburgh Steelers,” wrote author Mitch Kaiser. “He can now see himself playing for either team, creating a “no-fly zone” with Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh or bringing a Super Bowl back to his hometown team in New England.”
Sainristil is regarded as one of the top slot corners in the draft. The biggest thing holding him back is a small one – his size. Measuring in at 5093, 182 pounds at the NFL Combine, there isn’t a long list of players with his height/weight drafted early. That could push his early Day 2 stock down a bit, potentially to the Steelers in the second round. But what he lacks in size he makes up with production. A former receiver converted to cornerback, Sainristil picked off six passes for the Wolverines last season. He also proved his ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, finishing 2023 with four tackles for a loss. In 2022, he racked up 6.5 of them.
Pittsburgh has a clear need at slot corner. Chandon Sullivan remains a free agent while the team cut Patrick Peterson. It’s possible one of those players returns but neither is a long-term option. Sainristil could be Mike Hilton’s true replacement and stop the committee approach the Steelers have used since Hilton left for the Cincinnati Bengals.
While Sainristil didn’t come to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit, the team was well-represented at his Michigan Pro Day. The Steelers, as they often do, sent the house with Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin attending. DBs Coach Grady Brown didn’t appear to go — we didn’t see him anywhere on the Pro Day circuit this year — but Ike Taylor was on-hand and came away impressed by Sainristil’s makeup and versatility.
If he is the pick, Sainristil is unlikely to be an every-down corner opposite Porter. His size will keep him in the slot. Still, slot defenders are on the field 60 percent of the time and play in the most critical situations. They’re effectively starters. Pittsburgh would be wise to come away with one of the draft’s best names at that spot. It might be him.
