Michigan Football Breakout Players For 2020: No. 7 — Mike Sainristil
Everyone is hoping and praying that football will start on time. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but eventually, there will be a "next" season. Whenever that is, Michigan is going to get some major contributions from some new faces.
Continuing the new series of 10 breakout players from Michigan's roster, here's No. 7 as we work our way to the top.
No. 7 — Mike Sainristil
With Donovan Peoples-Jones off to the NFL and Tarik Black on his way out via transfer, there are going to be snaps and catches available for a couple new wide receivers. Mike Sainristil saw the field a little bit last year so he's definitely one of the pass catchers to watch.
Sainristil enrolled early at Michigan and received a ton of buzz during the winter, spring and fall before the season started. Even though he impressed the coaches before game action kicked off, he didn't make it onto the field very much. He finished the season with just eight catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, but showed flashes of what made him exciting during the offseason.
Sainristil was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Massachusetts as a senior but wasn't highly ranked or recruited by many big dogs. The Michigan coaches saw something special in the three-star athlete who played multiple positions in high school and viewed him as someone who could help on the field immediately. That didn't manifest in a big way last year, but I think it will during Sainristil's sophomore campaign.
Sainristil, along with classmates Giles Jackson and Cornelius Johnson, as well as incoming freshmen AJ Henning and Roman Wilson, all need to step up with just Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell returning as established pass catchers.
Will we see a Braylon Edwards-like jump from freshman to sophomore year for Sainristil? Probably not, but if he can catch 20-30 balls and be a weapon in the open field after the catch, you'd have to like his trajectory.
