Tag: Mike Sainristil

All-Time Leaders: Interception Return Yardage

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil recently finished one of the greatest defensive seasons in school history, notching 6 interceptions and returning them for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns. Altogether, he finished with 7 interceptions and 240 yards for his career. Where does that rank historically?

1. 431 yards on 25 interceptions – Tom Curtis (1967-1969)
2. 240 yards on 7 interceptions – Mike Sainristil (2022-2023)
3. 237 yards on 9 interceptions – Will Johnson (2022-2024)
4. 202 yards on 9 interceptions – David Brown (1972-1974)
5. 182 yards on 8 interceptions – Thomas Darden (1969-1971)
6. 169 yards on 10 interceptions – Marcus Ray (1995-1998)
7. 169 yards on 6 interceptions – Blake Countess (2013)
8. 145 yards on 6 interceptions – Raymon Taylor (2012-2013)
9. 141 yards on 8 interceptions – Tony Jackson (1980-1981)
10. 132 yards on 10 interceptions – Keith Bostic (1980-1982)

All-Time Leaders: Longest Interception Returns

On the heels of Will Johnson’s pick-six last Saturday night against Fresno State, here’s a look at the longest interception returns in program history:

1. 94 yards – Brandon Herron (2011 vs. Western Michigan)
2. 92 yards – Thomas Darden (1971 vs. UCLA)
3. 88 yards – Ernest Shazor (2004 vs. Miami-OH)
4. 86 yards – Will Johnson (2024 vs. Fresno State)
5. 81 yards – Mike Rotunno (1955 vs. Missouri)
6. 81 yards – Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Washington)
7. 80 yards – David Long, Jr. (2017 vs. Maryland)
8. 73 yards – Josh Metellus (2018 vs. SMU)
9. 72 yards – Blake Countess (2013 vs. Minnesota)
10. 72 yards – Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Michigan State)

Hit the jump for some videos.

2024 NFL Draft Results: Michigan

Here are the results of the 2024 NFL Draft for Michigan players:

2024
1st round: J.J. McCarthy – QB – Minnesota Vikings (#10 overall)
2nd round: Kris Jenkins, Jr. – DT – Cincinnati Bengals (#49)
2nd round: Mike Sainristil – CB – Washington Commanders (#50)
3rd round: Junior Colson – LB – Los Angeles Chargers (#69)
3rd round: Blake Corum – RB – Los Angeles Rams (#83)
3rd round: Roman Wilson – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers (#84)
3rd round: Zak Zinter – OG – Cleveland Browns (#85)
4th round: A.J. Barner – TE – Seattle Seahawks (#121)
5th round: Trevor Keegan – OG – Philadelphia Eagles (#172)
7th round: Michael Barrett – LB – Carolina Panthers (#240)
7th round: La’Darius Henderson – OG – Houston Texans (#249)
7th round: Jaylen Harrell – DE – Tennessee Titans (#252)
7th round: Cornelius Johnson – WR – Los Angeles Chargers (#253)

Jenkins joins a Michigan-heavy defense with the Bengals, who spent a first round pick on S Daxton Hill a couple years ago and a second round pick on CB D.J. Turner II in 2023.

The Chargers are coached by former Michigan head man Jim Harbaugh, who drafted Colson and Johnson, both of whom play positions of need for the team. The Seahawks are led by Mike Macdonald, whose lone pick from Michigan (A.J. Barner at #121 overall) didn’t overlap with Macdonald’s one season at defensive coordinator in 2021. Barner transferred from Indiana for the 2023 season. However, former Michigan assistant coach Jay Harbaugh is on Seattle’s staff.

The following players signed undrafted free agent contracts with NFL teams:

Karsen Barnhart – OG – Los Angeles Chargers
Trente Jones – OT – Green Bay Packers
Braiden McGregor – DE – New York Jets
Drake Nugent – C – San Francisco 49ers
James Turner – K – Detroit Lions
Josh Wallace – CB – Los Angeles Rams

McGregor is the biggest draft snub of these players, in my opinion. At 6’5″ and 257 pounds, I thought he showed adequate enough production and athleticism to get taken somewhere prior to the end of the draft. He was injured as a senior in high school and took a few years just to get back on track. I always thought he should have stayed in college one more year to continue ascending since 2023 was his first year as a starter; perhaps with that previous injury, he thought this might be the best time to try to make a jump for the NFL rather than risking another year in college.

Additionally, three former Wolverine signees were taken in the draft:

1st round: Xavier Worthy – WR – Kansas City Chiefs (#28)
4th round: Erick All – TE – Cincinnati Bengals (#115)
6th round: Joe Milton – QB – New England Patriots (#193)

Worthy signed with Michigan but was unable to enroll, so he transferred to Texas. All played at Michigan for three seasons (2020-2022) before transferring to Iowa in 2023. Milton spent three years in Ann Arbor (2018-2020) and then spent the next three seasons (2021-2023) at Tennessee.

2024 NFL Combine Results: Michigan

Here’s a summary of how Michigan players measured in and performed at the Combine last week:

TE A.J. Barner
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 251
Arm: 33 3/8″
Hand: 9″

OL Karsen Barnhart
Height: 6’4.5″
Weight: 306
Arm: 33 3/8″
Hand: 9 7/8″
40: 5.21
Vertical: 29.5″
5-10-5: 4.7
3-cone: 7.83
Broad jump: 9’3″

LB Mike Barrett
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 233
Arm: 32 1/8″
Hand: 8 1/2″

LB Junior Colson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 238
Arm: 32 1/2″
Hand: 9 3/8″

RB Blake Corum
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 205
Arm: 28 7/8″
Hand: 9″
40: 4.53
Vertical: 35.5″
5-10-5: 4.12
Bench: 27
3-cone: 6.82

EDGE Jaylen Harrell
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 250
Arm: 33 1/4″
Hand: 9 3/4″
Vertical: 37″
Broad jump: 9’7″

OL La’Darius Henderson
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 309
Arm: 35″
Hand: 10 5/8″
Bench: 20

DL Kris Jenkins
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 299
Arm: 34″
Hand: 9 3/8″
40: 4.91
Vertical: 30″
5-10-5: 4.78
Bench: 29
Broad jump: 9’7″

WR Cornelius Johnson
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 212
Arm: 31 7/8″
Hand: 8 5/8″
40: 4.44
Vertical: 37.5″
Broad jump: 10’7″

OL Trente Jones
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 305
Arm: 33″
Hand: 10 1/8″
40: 5.17
Vertical: 27″
5-10-5: 4.87
3-cone: 7.78
Broad jump: 9’1″

OG Trevor Keegan
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 310
Arm: 32 3/8″
Hand: 10″
40: 5.24
Vertical: 30.5″
Broad jump: 8’11”

QB J.J. McCarthy
Height: 6’2.5″
Weight: 219
Hand: 9″
Arm: 31 5/8″
3-cone drill: 6.82
5-10-5: 4.23

EDGE Braiden McGregor
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 257
Arm: 33 1/8″
Hand: 10″

C Drake Nugent
Height: 6’1.5″
Weight: 298
Arm: 33″
Hand: 9″
40: 5.23
Vertical: 29.5″
5-10-5: 4.5
Bench: 25
3-cone: 7.33
Broad jump: 8.5″

CB Mike Sainristil
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 182
Arm: 30 7/8″
Hand: 8 1/2″
40: 4.47
Vertical: 40″
5-10-5: 4.01
Bench: 14
3-cone: 6.99
Broad jump: 10’11”

CB Josh Wallace
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 185
Arm: 31 3/8″
Hand: 8 7/8″
Vertical: 34.5″
5-10-5: 4.35
Bench: 13
Broad jump: 10′

WR Roman Wilson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 185
Arm: 30 3/8″
Hand: 9 3/8″
40: 4.39
Bench: 12

OG Zak Zinter
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 309
Arm: 33 1/2″
Hand: 9 3/8″

18 Michigan Players Participating in 2024 NFL Combine

The following 18 Michigan football players are participating in the 2024 NFL Combine. That’s a record number of players invited to the Combine for any school. They are:

1. QB J.J. McCarthy
2. RB Blake Corum
3. WR Cornelius Johnson
4. WR Roman Wilson
5. TE A.J. Barner
6. OL Karsen Barnhart
7. OL La’Darius Henderson
8. OL Trente Jones
9. OL Trevor Keegan
10. OL Drake Nugent
11. OL Zak Zinter
12. EDGE Jaylen Harrell
13. EDGE Braiden McGregor
14. DT Kris Jenkins, Jr.
15. LB Michael Barrett
16. LB Junior Colson
17. CB Mike Sainristil
18. CB Josh Wallace

Over 300 players were invited to the Combine, and last year 259 players were drafted. So mathematically, not every player invited will end up being selected. But if everyone gets drafted, that would set a record for the most players drafted from a school in one year. The current record is 15, which was set by Georgia.

Former Michigan players TE Erick All (Iowa), QB Joe Milton (Tennessee), and EDGE Eyabi Okie-Anoma (Charlotte) will also be at the Combine, as will former Michigan signee WR Xavier Worthy (Texas).