A small, quick, and smart slot corner that plays way bigger and should remind Eagles fans of a guy currently on the team
- 5’9″ 182 pounds and expected mid-4.4 speed
- 5 interceptions and 6 PBUs on only 41 targets
- 47.1 passer rating allowed in the slot, best in the last two drafts
- Still new to cornerback with only two years starting after being converted from WR
- Expected draft position R4-5 (current estimated pick 142)
Slot corners often are not taken high – of the top 20 rated slot corners in the NFL this year, two were taken in the 1st, six on day two, and the rest were day 3 or undrafted.
Currently expected to be an early-to-mid day 3 pick, I also have Sainristil with a R3 grade and as the draft’s best pure slot corner, I wouldn’t be shocked if he surprised higher.
He will be overlooked by some because of his size and inexperience at corner – just two seasons ago, this was what he was doing:
But the Eagles should love Sainristil. He’s athletic. He’s competitive. He plays way above his size with incredible toughness and leadership. He’s a team captain and a guy the coaches and other players rave about.
- Always near the catch point with 12 PBUs and 6 interceptions on 107 career targets and 15% forced incompletion rate, a good rate for primarily playing the slot
- Shows short-area quickness and his experience playing receiver helps him anticipate
- Intangibles, leadership, and toughness – Dane Brugler said “Scouts say he’s like a player-coach, an influencer, a leader… With his toughness, you would never guess he’s a former receiver”
- Despite being new to the position and usually going up against bigger receivers, plays clean with 0 career penalties
- At times will wait for a play to get to him instead of moving forward or attacking, I believe this is more inexperience playing CB than traits
Film clips
I try to pull clips to be representative of the player, both what they do well and where to improve. Below you will see that in coverage he can play up at the line and plays bigger than his size including his coverage in the end zone against Cade Stover. He isn’t going to be a highlight reel hit guy and is more of a “drag down” tackler, but is effective limiting gains.
For improvement, you will see him wait for a play to get to him at times instead of being aggressive and closing. The Alabama rushing touchdown he gave up in the playoffs is a perfect example where it was clearly a run and he waited and only closed 1 yard in, flat-footed by the time Jase McClellan gets to him. Remember that he is only in his second year on defense. There are plenty of clips that shows his ability to close quickly so you have to think most of this is his inexperience.
Draft fit
Avonte Maddox is still under contract for 2024 but the Eagles need a plan outside of him as he has missed 22 games over the past two seasons. Isaiah Rodgers is probably part of the, if not the, plan but he is also only signed in 2024. Sainristil, like Avonte before him, could be a high-upside pick to give a longer-term answer in the slot which I think the Eagles really need.
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