Aside from what you may have been told, the Washington Commanders have other rookies beside Pro Bowl quarterback Jayden Daniels.
That oversight might just because they don’t play like rookies. And while Daniels looked like one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in a 45-31 upset of the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions in an NFC Divisional Playoff game on January 18, rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil looked like one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks with 2 interceptions.
That Sainristil did it in the same state he led the University of Michigan to an undefeated season and College Football Playoff national championship in 2023 only added to the myriad of storylines.
“What a player (Sainristil) turned out to be this year,” Kevin Sheehan said on “The Kevin Sheehan Show” following the win. “You know there are some Detroit Lions fans and Michigan Wolverines fans in that crowd that they love Mikey Sainristil for bringing them that national championship last year but did not like to see the night he had.”
Sainristil’s 2 interceptions were part of 5 turnovers the Commanders forced, including a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by safety Quan Martin in the second quarter.
The Commanders will travel to face the winner of the Los Angeles Rams game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on January 26. It’s the first time Washington has been in the NFC Championship since the 1991 season.
Sainristil Hasn’t Stopped Winning in NFL
Sainristil didn’t just win a national title for the Wolverines last season. He was also the team’s unquestioned leader, earning Big Ten Championship Game MVP honors as well as being named an All-American. He capped things off with the game-winning interception in the CFP National Championship Game against the University of Washington.
The Commanders took Sainristil in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft as part of what outsiders thought was going to be a long-term rebuild that morphed into a 12-5 record and the franchise’s best seasons in 33 years.
Sainristil was in the mix from the jump, starting 16 of 17 games with 93 tackles, 2 interceptions, 14 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery in the regular season.
“Reliable and tough with the athleticism and upside to keep getting better as a nickel corner,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “Sainristil is a former receiver who plays with surprising field awareness and attention to detail as a zone defender. He has the twitch and footwork to stay connected with routes in man coverage.”
Sainristil Moved From Nickel to Outside CB
Sainristil quickly moved from nickel back to one of the starting outside cornerback spots ahead of Benjamin St.-Juste, where the rookie is now paired with a 4-time Pro Bowler on the other side in Marshon Lattimore.
From Riggo’s Rag’s Dean Jones: “Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. switched Sainristil from the slot to outside responsibilities. It was a gamble deemed necessary considering the problems others were suffering on the boundary. It’s paid off in no uncertain terms so far … The Commanders saw something others didn’t in Sainrstil en route to taking him No. 50 overall. That looks like a bargain as things stand, and the player is only going to improve further with more experience under his belt.”
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