Commander Country

Washington Commanders Coach Praises 'Consistent' Rookie CB

The Washington Commanders hope to get a lot out of rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil.

Jeremy Brener

Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil (DB35) works out during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil (DB35) works out during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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The Washington Commanders boosted their secondary this offseason by selecting Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil in the second round of April's NFL Draft.

Sainristil, 23, won a National Championship with the Wolverines last season, and he hopes to bring that winning energy to the Commanders.

In Ann Arbor, it was all about consistency, and that's what Sainristil is bringing to Washington at the start of training camp.

"Mike Sainristil has been somebody that's been really, consistently strong," Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. "It's run fits, it's coverage, it's all of it that goes into that position. Playing nickel is a lot like playing safety. There's run fits, there's calls, there's checks and things happen quickly, and Mikey has certainly shown he's up for the task to be into that spot.”

READ MORE: Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Status Revealed vs. New York Jets

The Commanders selected two cornerbacks at the start of the 2023 NFL Draft with Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin. However, the Commanders still ended up as the worst-ranked defense in the NFL last season.

Now, with a new defensive-minded coach in Quinn, Sainristil has a chance to emerge as the top cornerback in a young position group.

He is giving what the coaches are asking for, giving him a good start to his first training camp.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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