The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2018 COMMITMENT PROFILE E verett (Mass.) High three-star athlete Mike Sainristil had been committed to Virginia Tech since February, but snuck in an official visit to Michigan back in June, which im- mediately put U-M in a position to snatch him away from the Hokies. Leading up to his return visit to Ann Arbor for the Penn State game Nov. 3, Sainristil decommitted from Virginia Tech making a flip to U-M seem imminent. Before heading back to Massachusetts, Sainristil announced his commitment to the Wolverines and couldn't be happier about his decision. "All of the other commitments made me feel special and made me feel at home. So did the coaches," Sainristil said. "I talked to my family and my current coaches at Everett High School. I just feel like it would be the best place for me to get an education and play top-tier football." Sainristil had been to Michigan be- fore, but never for a game and what he saw out of the team against Penn State really made him realize that U-M is where he wanted to be. "The atmosphere was just great," he said. "You get there, and the fans already know who you are. I'm not even there yet and the people already know me. "Just watching fast, hard-nosed football — it's just something I really wanted to be a part of." The biggest question now is where Sainristil will play once at Michigan. The 5-9, 175-pounder is considered the No. 63 athlete in the country be- cause of his versatility on both sides of the ball. He is electric with the ball in his hands, but also does an excel- lent job locking up top receivers. "They actually haven't told me where I'll be playing yet," Sainristil said with a laugh. "I prefer offense because I like having the ball in my hands and making a play. I like picking up big yards and scoring touchdowns. "I do like playing defense and cov- ering the best guy on the other team if I have to. I think I feel most com- fortable covering outside receivers. I haven't really covered any slots yet. That's what I'm used to doing." Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic recruiting analyst Adam Friedman has watched Sainristil in person and also wonders how U-M will use the speedy ath- lete. Regardless of where he plays, Friedman definitely sees success for Sainristil at U-M. "The former Virginia Tech com- mit's agility, footwork, and nose for the ball gives Don Brown's defense another player that has the ability to quickly flip momentum," Friedman explained. "If he were to play offense, his explosiveness really helps him. He is best suited to play in the slot, and his quickness makes it very difficult for defensive backs to stay with him. "Also as a returner, Sainristil should be able to create some mo- mentum-swinging plays for the Wolverines." Sainristil is solidly committed to the Wolverines and will sign with them in December before graduat- ing early and enrolling at Michigan in January. The speedy athlete will get a chance to go through spring ball, which should help him find his best fit. As a junior, Sainristil was named to The Herald Team by The Boston Herald. He picked off five passes and recorded 23 tackles from his defen- sive back position, while catching 13 touchdown passes in leading Everett to the Division I state championship. — Brandon Brown Mike Sainristil Completes Flip And Pledges To Michigan Rivals.com rates Sainristil — a speedy, 5-9, 175-pounder from Everett (Mass.) High — as a three-star prospect and the nation's No. 63 athlete. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN Sainristil on his Nov. 3 visit to Michigan "The atmosphere was just great. You get there, and the fans already know who you are. I'm not even there yet and the people already know me. Just watching fast, hard- nosed football — it's just something I really wanted to be a part of." FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Mike Sainristil's biggest strengths are his versatility and raw athleti- cism. He's a tad undersized at 5-9, 175 pounds, but he really can do it all on the football field. He shines in coverage and as a receiver, and is absolutely electric with the ball in his hands as a back, pass catcher and kick returner. He just makes everything look really easy on the field. Areas Of Improvement: What position Sainristil ends up playing will make what he needs to improve on easier to identify. He has played so many positions in high school that he hasn't really honed in on or sharpened any one area of skills. He has the makeup to be a lock-down corner or a lethal weapon in the slot, but he'd have a lot of work to do technique wise at both positions to be successful at the next level. Michigan Player Comparison: Sainristil is almost identical to Jourdan Lewis as a high school prospect. Lewis was also undersized at 5-10, 159 pounds coming out of high school and, even though Rivals.com viewed him more as a traditional cornerback, Lewis was lights out as an offensive player and as a returner in high school. Lewis is getting some run on offense with the Cowboys in the NFL. Sainristil and Lewis are mirror images of each other in terms of their quick twitch ability, versatility and overall athleticism. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com