Nick Saban on Mike Sainristil: ‘Pound for pound the best player in the draft’

Former Michigan football cornerback Mike Sainristil isn’t the biggest player. He’s not even 5-foot-10, but he will be one hell of an NFL player. Just ask Nick Saban or one of the other NFL draft experts.

Sainristil got some mention as a possible first-round pick. If he was 5-foot-11, it would be a no-brainer. But since Mikey is 5-foot-9, the Michigan football legend had to wait until the 50th overall pick where he was selected by the Washington Commanders and it’s a pick that the experts love, starting with Nick Saban.

Nick Saban loves the pick of Michigan football DB Mike Sainrsitl

“Mike Sainristil is pound for pound the best player in this draft,” Saban said on ESPN.

Nick Saban: ‘@MikeSainristil is pound for pound the best player in this draft’

— Steve Lorenz (@TremendousUM) April 27, 2024

Booger McFarland called him the best nickelback in the draft and like Saban, he’s not wrong.

Booger McFarland on Mike Sainristil: "Sometimes, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog — and this young man has a ton of fight in him. I think he's the best nickel back in this draft."

— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) April 27, 2024

“Sometimes, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog — and this young man has a ton of fight in him. I think he’s the best nickel back in this draft.”

Sainristil moved to defensive back in 2022 and turned into a star for Michigan football. He had 13 pass breakups and seven interceptions. This season, Mikey had six interceptions and six pass breakups.

One of those interceptions came in the national championship game against Washington, which essentially clinched the win for the Wolverines. In the NFL, Mike Sainristil should excel. Nickelbacks play most of the snaps in the league and Mikey can play outside too.

Sainristil can help on special teams, he can blitz, and he’s a tremendous tackler as well as a cover guy. It’s good to see Saban say what he said. Mikey deserves it. He’s a Michigan football legend and nobody should be shocked if he ends up as an All-Pro.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms.