This rookie is making his presence felt.
Jayden Daniels is under the microscope and gaining the majority of plaudits for his efforts during the preseason so far. However, he isn't the only Washington Commanders rookie making a name for himself with Week 1 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fast approaching.
Daniels is the quarterback, so additional headlines are expected. If the Commanders are to achieve what many analysts believe possible next season, they need other first-year pros to stand up and make their presence felt. There's a long way to go and competitive games to overcome first, but the early signs are promising.
This bears special significance where Mike Sainristil is concerned. The No. 50 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft looks like an integral piece of Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s defensive puzzle. He's not carrying himself like a rookie. Instead, he's displaying the alpha-like traits that saw him spearhead Michigan's defense to a college football national championship in 2023.
Mike Sainriistil looks like an integral piece of Commanders' defensive puzzle
One could argue that Sainristil is the most dependable cornerback at Washington's disposal before he plays a regular season fixture. While Benjamin St-Juste and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. have both given up touchdowns during the preseason, the second-round pick looks assured in coverage and is making his tackles count.
He's not afraid to lead through vocal enthusiasm and by example on the field. That's the biggest positive imaginable for someone just starting their NFL journey. The Commanders thought they'd found a gem in Sainristil when he fell into their laps during the draft. The defensive back's done nothing but enhance this notion throughout a sensational first offseason with the franchise.
The Commanders will likely go as far as Daniels takes them. He's the franchise player. The man under center tasked with ending years of personnel mismanagement at football's most crucial position above all else. But don't be surprised if Sainristil becomes equally as important on the defensive side of things sooner rather than later.
Sainristil doesn't look overawed by the step-up in quality from college to the pros. It's been the making of him.
Nobody should be getting too carried away. Cornerbacks take longer to adjust with finer margins than most position groups. One only has to look at Forbes' rookie campaign which resembled an on-field car crash to see that. Sainristil already looks to have more about him - a player with immense poise, high football intelligence, and the ability to come up with the goods in big moments.
There are still grave concerns about Washington's outside cornerback options. St-Juste, Forbes, and Michael Davis have all struggled on occasions this offseason. Sainristil's been the one constant - something that's increased confidence in his potential to become a legitimate star at the nickel position under Quinn and Whitt, two outstanding developers of talent within their secondary.
If Sainristil keeps up his performance levels up to now, the Commanders have a tremendous player on their hands. If he improves further with more experience, he'll quickly become a cornerstone piece this once-proud franchise can build around en route to potential playoff contention once again.
That's the highest compliment one could pay to Sainristil at this stage of his development. Long may it continue.
