Commanders CB Mike Sainristil ESPN Analyst's 'Favorite Pick' of NFL Draft

Taken at No. 50 the Washington Commanders may get first round return on Mike Sainristil, and that makes him a great value pick.

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil celebrates a play against Ohio State during the second half / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The ultimate grade on this year's NFL Draft class for the Washington Commanders is going to hinge on former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels most likely.

Simply put, the most success Daniels has in leading the Commanders - whenever that first NFL start comes - will be weighed most heavily, not just because he was the No. 2 overall pick and general manager Adam Peters' first selection ever, but because he's a quarterback.

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What Washington has been starved of is top-shelf quarterback talent, and that's what Peters is banking on Daniels being once he gets fulling up and running in the game's top league.

But there's another draft pick, cornerback Mike Sainristil out of Michigan, who was selected 50th overall who might become the most value-worthy of the entire class.

Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil celebrates a play against Ohio State during the second half / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Cornerback Mike Sainristil to the Washington Commanders at No. 50. A nickel corner with a playmaking mentality, Sainristil was one of my favorite defensive backs to study," ESPN's Matt Bownen said when asked which pick was his favorite of the entire NFL Draft. "He led Michigan's defense last season with six interceptions and seven pass breakups. Look for him to play a disruptive role as a rookie in Dan Quinn's defensive system."

Quinn was hired for his second stint as a head coach after three successful years leading the Dallas Cowboys defense. One of his top coaches then, Joe Whitt Jr., is his defensive coordinator for the Commanders now, and the two are looking to replicate the effectiveness of their Cowboys defensive units, even if the style of play on the field doesn't exactly mirror what we saw there.

Regardless of what new wrinkles the duo brings to Washington from Dallas the defense promises to be one based on aggression and focused on taking the ball away from opponents on a weekly basis.

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Like Bowen pointed out, both of those things are right in Sainristil's wheelhouse, and make him arguable the most perfect addition to this team we've seen in a very active offseason.

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