Big Blue View
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)
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.
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...
