How Does Washington Commanders CB Mike Sainristil Counter His Size Deficiency?

Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainrisitil may be small in size but his large football IQ helps him play much bigger.

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil celebrates a play against Washington during the second half / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cornerback Mike Sainristil is one of the most celebrated picks from this year's NFL Draft class for the Washington Commanders.

He's a national champion from his last season with the Michigan Wolverines and is expected to bring a brand of toughness and leadership the Commanders sought out in several offseason moves during a process that has near-completely changed the look of the orginization in just a few months.

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Like every prospect, however, Sainristil has perceived deficiencies that Washington is counting on not becoming a real problem in the NFL. One of them, perhaps the biggest one, is his size.

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil celebrates a play against Washington during the second half / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

"I don't pay attention to it. I just go out there, I play fast, I play physical," Sainrisitl told Ben Standig of The Athletic in a recent appearance on the Standig Room Only podcast. "Knowing the game helps me play much faster than a lot of people. So I use my size to my advantage. I could get around blocks easier. I use my speed. It's definitely not easy for a 6'5 - 6'6 lineman to block of 5'9 guy coming off the edge when I'm blitzing. So I use that to my advantage. I use my short area quickness. My lateral movement, I think, is perfect for the position that I play. So again, you say my size is my weakness. I say my size is biggest strength."

Turning that perceived weakness into a strength helped Sainristil notch three career sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his college career, all of them coming in the final two seasons as he established himself as arguably the best player on the best defense in the country.

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That aggressive play and ability to get into the backfield is something we expect the Commanders to capitalize on as they bring a more aggresive approach to the game than seen under previous regimes.

To hear the full interview, go here.

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