Previously, I ranked the Michigan quarterbacks (LINK) and running backs (LINK) from the beginning of the Lloyd Carr era onward. That corresponds with the time that I have paid close attention to Michigan football.
Now we will take a look at the receivers. Because I don’t have an endless amount of time, I have to trim this down to guys who started at least twelve games in a Michigan uniform, which represents roughly one full season as a starter. The lone exception here is Devin Gardner, who started a bunch of games, but mostly at quarterback.
Pro Football Focus put out a mock draft that has the Lions getting Jaylen Waddle and the Falcons taking Kwity Paye at #14 overall (LINK).
PFF also ranked all the projected starting quarterbacks in the country (LINK). Dylan McCaffrey is in the middle of the pack, but Michigan State’s duo of Rocky Lombardi and Theo Day is #118 out of 130.
Name: Chuck Filiaga Height: 6’6″ Weight: 345 lbs. High school: Aledo (TX) Aledo Position: Offensive guard Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #66 Last year: I ranked Filiaga #67 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played in twelve games, four at offensive guard and twelve on special teams. TTB Rating: 86
Filiaga has always had questions swirling around him about whether he could manage his weight effectively. He was listed at 341 pounds last year, and perhaps it’s a coincidence, but he did not play much. The four games in which he played offensive line were either blowout wins or blowout losses. There were four senior starters ahead of him and a redshirt freshman tackle who recently declared for the NFL draft, so talent was abundant. But Filiaga also wasn’t even one of the top couple guys off the bench, which were Ryan Hayes and the loser of the Jalen Mayfield/Andrew Stueber starting tackle battle (that Mayfield won if only by default when Stueber got injured).
I have Filiaga here at #25 as the lowest ranked lineman who is projected to be a starter. He could probably be ranked higher if not for the fact that Mayfield, now NFL-bound, is ahead of him. I have questions about Filiaga’s endurance and mobility, especially since he’s now listed four pounds heavier at 345 than he was last year. I was hoping he would drop some weight and get into the 330 range. Based on last year, I was not impressed with his ability to bend and use leverage to his advantage.
Name: Mike Sainristil Height: 5’10” Weight: 183 lbs. High school: Everett (MA) Everett Position: Wide receiver Class: Sophomore Jersey number: #19 Last year: I ranked Sainristil #20 and said he would be a starting receiver with 30 catches for 480 yards and 5 touchdowns (LINK). He caught 8 passes for 145 yards and 1 touchdown while starting one game. TTB Rating: 84
Sainristil, like Donovan Jeter, was significantly overrated by me last year. Spring chatter was positive, and Jim Harbaugh actually named him the starting slot receiver after the spring. I thought that would carry over into the fall, but that turned out not to be the case. He played quite a bit but was not targeted regularly. Tarik Black played more than Sainristil (side opinion: Black was a slacker and should have played less), got his 25 catches, and then dipped out of town, anyway. Sainristil’s catch and run against Notre Dame was more impressive than anything Black did in 2019, though it did come late in a blowout win over Notre Dame:
Sainristil figures to be heavily involved in 2020, but exactly how much is still up in the air. Fellow slot guy Giles Jackson seems to be more explosive, and the coaches seem to have slightly higher hopes for Jackson. The opportunities for Sainristil may increase if Nico Collins does indeed skip his senior season as expected, but for this exercise, I’m projecting Sainristil to be a backup behind Collins, Jackson, and Ronnie Bell.
