The Detroit Lions struggled to avoid turnovers against the Washington Commanders.
In a stunning playoff loss, Commanders rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil was able to force two turnovers, once in each half, in an upset win at Ford Field that led his team to the NFC Championship game.
Recently, ESPN completed a 2024 re-draft.
For Detroit, the selection is not Terrion Arnold, who they picked 24th overall, but the former Michigan Wolverines defensive back who showcased he could have immediate impact at the next level.
As Eric Woodyard explained, "After an All-American college career at Michigan, it's a perfect fit for Sainristil to stay in the state to join the Lions. Detroit's secondary was one of the major holes on its roster, and Sainristil led all rookies with 62 solo tackles. The Lions also got a glimpse of his impact in the divisional round. Detroit traded up for corner Terrion Arnold in the real draft, but Sainristil would be a better fit in hindsight."
The talented defensive back was praised by his head coach after the playoff win. He was selected 50th overall by the Commanders in the second round, which was 10 picks before the Lions picked Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw.
“Mike is somebody that’s hard to fool,” Dan Quinn said postgame. “He’s got, much like Jayden Daniels, a little bit of an older soul about him. He takes to coaching quickly. He doesn’t repeat mistakes. And so for him, the opportunities, when it comes to go nail it, he delivered on that.”
In 2024 for Detroit, Arnold played 948 defensive snaps and recorded 10 pass defensed, 60 tackles and one fumble recovery in 17 games.
