Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil was instrumental in the Michigan Wolverines' national championship run in 2023, so much so that former Alabama head coach Nick Saban called him the best nickel cornerback in his class.
Will Johnson, Sainristil's former teammate at Michigan and regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the draft, got a first-hand look at how Sainristil can impact a defense. It isn't a shock to him that Sainristil's professional career is off to a strong start.
"He's doing great things on the field," Johnson said. "I'm not surprised at all."
Sainristil, who Washington took with the 50th overall pick, was an instant success for the Burgundy & Gold because of his production, versatility and mature approach to the game. Though he was drafted to be a slot corner, he played 774 of his 978 total snaps on the outside.
Sainristil was a natural fit for the role, earning the highest coverage grade among Washington's defensive backs from Pro Football Focus. He held quarterbacks to a completion rate of 50% or less when targeted in eight games, including the Thursday Night Football matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being tested by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Sainristil only allowed two receptions on five targets for 31 yards.
"He's very aware, he's a student of the game," said Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. "So, he doesn't let himself get into situations where his height gets in the way a lot of the times because of his positioning and understanding of what's happening."
Sainristil also led the team with two interceptions in the regular season and grabbed a pair during the Commanders' 45-31 win over the Detroit Lions in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
"Mike's somebody that, he's hard to fool," said head coach Dan Quinn. "Much like Jayden, he's got a little bit of an older soul about him, he takes to coaching quickly, he doesn't repeat mistakes. And so for him, the opportunity, when it comes to go and nail it -- he delivered on that."
Sainristil had six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, and led the Big Ten with 232 return yards during his final season at Michigan. Johnson did his best to replicate that feat in 2024 by also leading the conference in interception return yards and taking back two interceptions for touchdowns. One of those scores came during the Wolverines' 27-24 win over USC with 5:26 left in the third quarter.
Johnson credits some of his success to Sainristil's influence on him.
"That's my guy," Johnson said. "I mean, he's taught me a lot of things. Just how to carry myself, how to work on and off the field. He's always been a pro. He's just a great leader, great man."
Kiper lists Johnson as the ninth-best player on his big board and the second-best cornerback in the draft since Colorado's Travis Hunter is entering the draft as a defensive back. The Commanders pick 29th in the first round, so the likelihood of a reunion between him and Sainristil is small.
Still, Johnson said he and Sainristil remain close and talk "all the time," so regardless of which team picks him, he knows he'll have Sainristil to lean on for advice as he goes through his rookie season.
