Both defensive back Mike Sainristil and linebacker Michael Barrett have withdrawn from this year’s post-season showcase event in Mobile, as revealed by Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy on Tuesday.
The nation’s top ranking of Wolverines dropped from eight to six after Barrett and Sainristil, who had previously accepted invites, were left off of rosters released on Monday.
After the national championship, Sainristil made the decision to withdraw from this year’s contest, according to Nagy, and Barrett sustained a draft-prep injury in the previous week.
During an introductory press conference on Tuesday, Nagy stated, “He had an injury that he didn’t have all season.” That’s the other aspect of this; after college football, players begin training for the combine, which requires a completely new set of muscles and leaves them vulnerable to pulls and other injuries.
However, six more Michigan players have reported and are present for three days of drills, interviews and the game on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, NFL Network). This is their chance to make an impression on NFL personnel and raise their draft stock before the April draft.
Roman Wilson, the top receiver for Michigan, leads a group of four players on the offensive end of the field. With 48 catches, 789 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns on Tuesday, Wilson was already drawing attention from the media. The former NFL scout and Michigan alum Nagy praised Wilson for his performance.
“I believe Roman will have an incredible week,” Nagy remarked. Before they kind of knocked the air out of the ball there at Michigan, he was on pace for a tremendous year—the first half of the year.
LaDarius Henderson and Trevor Keegan, two offensive lineman, and fellow tight end AJ Barner, who transferred to the Wolverines last season, also play offensive line for the National team alongside Wilson. Both linemen, particularly Keegan at left guard, “put together really good years,” according to Nagy.
