ANN ARBOR, MI – Position changes in college football are common when a player is not performing.
That was not the situation at Michigan with Mike Sainristil.
He was a key target in his third season as wide receiver in 2021, and his highlight-worthy catches appeared to put him up for a bright future on offense with the Wolverines.
Last spring, Jim Harbaugh had another suggestion, suggesting that Sainristil go to defensive back.
“He saw something in me that maybe I didn’t see in myself at the time,” Sainristil recently said in an interview. “My mindset was prove him right, prove myself right and take advantage of the opportunity.”
He’s done just that, emerging as a vital contributor in the secondary last season and probably the best player on a top-ranked defense this year.
In his third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance, the AP All-Big Ten cornerback is set to face a difficult challenge.
Michigan, whose season was marred by a sign-stealing incident that resulted in the Big Ten Conference banning Harbaugh for three games, faces Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day for a crack at the national championship.
“With everything that has been said this year about this program, about this team, about the success we’ve had,” he added, “what better opportunity to have against a team like Alabama to go be able to prove who we are.”
Since being benched in Week 2 against South Florida, Jalen Milroe has led the Crimson Tide’s resurgent passing game.
The explosive quarterback has seven touchdown passes without an interception over the last three games, including some key touchdowns against Georgia in the SEC title game and a miraculous fourth-and-goal completion to Isaiah Bonds for a touchdown to beat Auburn.
Jermaine Burton, a former Georgia receiver, is Alabama’s big-play threat, averaging 22.2 yards on 35 catches with eight touchdowns. Bond has 44 receptions for 621 yards and four touchdowns.
The Wolverines allowed 9.5 points per game, led college football with five defensive touchdowns, and ranked second in passing defense with 152.6 yards per game.
Sainristil played a significant role in this.He had five interceptions, two more than any other teammate, and returned two of them for touchdowns. He also recorded 30 tackles, three for a loss, and a sack.
“He checks all the boxes,” defensive back Josh Wallace of Michigan said. “He plays both inside and outside. He can cover for anyone. He’s basically a great physical man who isn’t afraid of physical contact.”
The 5-foot-10, 182-pound Sainristil compensates for his lack of stature with lots of fight, and his off-the-field intangibles are also valuable when NFL scouts evaluate prospects. Sainristil frequently smiles, grateful for a life that would have been very different if his family had not escaped Haiti and raised him in the Boston region.
On the field, he resembles a smaller version of Detroit Lions defensive back and former Alabama star Brian Branch, according to his coverage and run-support abilities.
“Some coach is going to say he’s an ideal nickel for what we do, and they’re going to take him on Day 2,” NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic said. “Scouts describe him as a player-coach, an influencer, and a leader, and those buzzwords will propel him higher on some draft boards.”
“With his toughness, you would never guess he’s a former receiver.”
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