Former Tide football star Mike Sainristil’s stock is rising in next month’s NFL Draft

By Joe McConnell

What’s up with Everett’s Mike Sainristil, the highly touted former University of Michigan national championship cornerback and captain? Well, he just took his first steps into the world of the National Football League (NFL) last week at the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He was there with hundreds of other prospects trying to impress the league’s 32 teams to take them early in next month’s draft.

Sainristil first learned the game right here in Everett as a Pop Warner player. He then learned how to win on the high school level under the direction of legendary Everett High School (EHS) coach John DiBiaso. He was on two Division 1 Super Bowl-winning teams in 2016 and 2017, and credits those Everett experiences to where he is today, and that’s on the cusp of being a professional football player.

“Being a member of the Everett High School football program for four years gave me an understanding of what a winning culture is all about,” Sainristil told the Everett Advocate in January after helping lead the Wolverines past the University of Washington in the national title game in Houston, 34-13.

“I was then able to carry it over to Michigan, but I soon discovered it was two different levels between high school and college football. But the leadership part of it carries over (naturally) for players who know how to lead, and that alone allowed me to separate myself from others to be successful here (in Michigan) in my own way,” he added.

Sainristil got his first chance to show off his immense athletic skills to the NFL teams at the Combine last Friday.  By all accounts, he had an impressive 40-yard dash, vertical leap, broad jump and three-cone drill. After wowing his captive audience, some experts seem to think he could go early on in the draft.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid puts the 5-foot-9, 182-pound Sainristil first on his list of “biggest risers” at the conclusion of the Combine. The former EHS Crimson Tide standout started out as a third day selection, but he just might be taken on the second day.

According to Reid, Sainristil is at the top of that nickel cornerback group, and solidified himself as a late-Day 2 prospect on Friday after jumping 40-inches in the vertical leap, jumping 10-feet, 11-inches in the broad jump and running a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. As a converted receiver, he added, his ball skills and change-of-direction ability really stood out. He had six interceptions in 2023. Teams that are looking for an immediate starter at nickel have to be excited about Sainristil’s workout.

But CBS Sports thinks that Sainristil has a shot at going in the first round on the first day, and that was before the Combine. Its reasons include his playmaking ability, penchant for forcing turnovers (he had six interceptions including two pick-sixes, along with two forced fumbles in 2023) and a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

The Minnesota Vikings, who have nine picks in next month’s draft, have this assessment of Sainristil’s strengths and weaknesses: “First thing that stands out about Sainristil is his awareness, especially pre-snap. Whether it’s motion or an audible, he is constantly communicating with the rest of his teammates and looks like the leader (he was) for the Wolverines. Sanristil pairs it with good recognition skills. He sees what is happening in front of him and attacks the football. He caught six interceptions along with securing two fumble recoveries and scoring two touchdowns this past fall. His motor never stops, and is an ultra-aggressive defender who loves to attack the football.

“(On his weaknesses), tackling is spotty in both effort and technique. Doesn’t always want to get his hands dirty in the run game and when he does, attacks too high and will bounce off the ball carrier. Sanristil is likely limited to the slot at the next level due to his slight build, and can get manipulated at the stem. He often falls often for subtle head and shoulder fakes and allows separation.”

The Vikings’ overview on Sainristil: “Sainristil is an aggressive slot cornerback that can thrive there but his size won’t allow him to be successful on the outside consistently. Tackling needs to be improved but some technique coaching can help fix that.”

More general scouting observations on Sainristil

Strengths:

Can get up under a receiver’s chin and has the speed to flip his hips and run downfield. Sainristil has the quick and surprisingly powerful hands to jostle receivers early. But he’s at his best peeking into the backfield.

He can flip his hips and run, with good top-end speed and the length to make plays on the ball.

Has the quick feet to mirror receivers underneath. He also has the fluid hips and top-end speed to turn and run downfield. Sainristil shows good awareness when dropping into zone coverage, with good route recognition and the ability to break quickly and cover a lot of ground.

Explodes out of his backpedal and has exceptional closing speed, showing excellent timing and the ball skills to come up with the interception.

Changes directions with ease and has the frame to hold up at any spot in the secondary.

Instincts are outstanding, and Sainristil does an excellent job in route recognition.

Weaknesses:

Has a high backpedal and loses a step in-transition. Plays with adequate speed but there are concerns about his ability to handle the truly explosive speedsters of the NFL.

Grab-and-drag tackler who will struggle to make plays against running backs, and he’ll be susceptible to some catch-and-run plays against bigger receivers.

Fails to maintain inside technique in man coverage. Not a press corner.

But in the end, it’s all subjective in determining draft selections. Opinions will turn to facts, however, when the NFL Draft begins on April 25 in downtown Detroit’s Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. For three straight days, NFL teams will then be picking their future, and since it’s in Michigan this year once Mike Sainristil’s name is called, there should be a loud roared coming from his fans there all the way back to Everett.