There's a distinct possibility that Virginia Tech loses a commitment in the 2019 class in the form of Everett (Mass.) three-star defensive back/athlete Mike Sainristil.
He's been flirting heavily with Michigan, and the Hokies are worried about losing the pledge... well, to a certain extent.
"I heard he visited Michigan," a source said. When pressed on whether losing him would be a crippling blow, there was certainly no indication that it would be.
Saying "I heard" instead of being in constant communication with a prospect committed to the school to know the answer is obviously not a great sign about the firmness of that commit, either. From talking to Michigan sources, though, it's friend and former teammate Lewis Cine (Cine has since moved to Texas, but the two still have a relationship) that has been confirmed as a visitor to Ann Arbor - Sainristil has tried to keep his quiet. Again, not having a finger on the pulse of what's going on is an indication that a commit is far from firm.
That said, while the Hokies would like to hold onto Sainristil, it's not seen as a crippling blow if they don't. His connection to Cine was one of the factors in his favor when he committed, and that link is obviously diminished (and Cine has long since crossed VT off his list, at least in any realistic way). Sainristil is a great athlete, but with the three-star profile - exceptional speed, not a lot of polish at any position - that is in all honesty replaced pretty easily.
We'll see exactly how it plays out, but at this time I'd expect him to leave the class. The major question is if the replacement is an upgrade (which is certainly possible).
He's been flirting heavily with Michigan, and the Hokies are worried about losing the pledge... well, to a certain extent.
"I heard he visited Michigan," a source said. When pressed on whether losing him would be a crippling blow, there was certainly no indication that it would be.
Saying "I heard" instead of being in constant communication with a prospect committed to the school to know the answer is obviously not a great sign about the firmness of that commit, either. From talking to Michigan sources, though, it's friend and former teammate Lewis Cine (Cine has since moved to Texas, but the two still have a relationship) that has been confirmed as a visitor to Ann Arbor - Sainristil has tried to keep his quiet. Again, not having a finger on the pulse of what's going on is an indication that a commit is far from firm.
That said, while the Hokies would like to hold onto Sainristil, it's not seen as a crippling blow if they don't. His connection to Cine was one of the factors in his favor when he committed, and that link is obviously diminished (and Cine has long since crossed VT off his list, at least in any realistic way). Sainristil is a great athlete, but with the three-star profile - exceptional speed, not a lot of polish at any position - that is in all honesty replaced pretty easily.
We'll see exactly how it plays out, but at this time I'd expect him to leave the class. The major question is if the replacement is an upgrade (which is certainly possible).
