WASHINGTON (7News) — Last year’s rookie class turned out pretty good for the Washington Commanders.
Most of the attention, deservedly so, went to quarterback Jayden Daniels. He was absolutely terrific last season.
But let’s not forget about Mike Sainristil. The Commanders’ cornerback came into his own during the second half of the 2024 season.
He came to Washington playing inside at that nickel corner position. Then, during the season, he flipped to the outside, where he held his own against some of the top wide receivers in football.
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7News Sports Director Scott Abraham sat down with Sainristil on Wednesday about his preference to play inside or outside in the cornerback position.
“It’s up to the coaches, wherever they need me, that’s where I’m going to be. To me, it doesn’t matter,” Sainristil told Abraham. “It’s just how can I make sure I’m out on that field helping the defense have success and how I can help this team win. I want to be in that top percentile of cornerbacks .
“The goal is All-Pro, Pro Bowl, but none of that happens without the team succeeding. With team success comes individual success. I know what I want to do, but it’s not about me. It’s about what I can do to help this team succeed and within that, if I do my part, I think I’ll be where I want to be when this is all done.”
That rookie label is gone. Sainristil feels much more confident and comfortable going into his second NFL season.
He knows what to expect. He knows the speed of the game. He also remembers that feeling walking off the field in Philadelphia after the Commanders lost in last year’s NFC Championship game.
“It’s all about keeping that same hunger. Keeping that same drive because everything is internal. What we are doing to get better?” Sainristil said.
It’s not about what other people think about us. In here, how much can we compete? What limits can we push each other to? It’s something that has to be done every single day.