Blake Corum is coming off a national championship season with the Michigan Wolverines. For the past two seasons, he has been one of the best running backs in the nation. He was the engine that made the Michigan offense run. Behind an elite offensive line, Corum and Donovan Edwards dominated opposing defenses on the ground. Good running backs in college do not always translate to the NFL. Will Corum be a quality NFL running back?
NFL Draft Profile: Michigan RB Blake Corum
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- Senior
- Age: 23
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- Height: 5’8″
- Weight: 200 lbs
- Hometown: Marshall, Virginia
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College Career Summary
Blake Corum has been a staple of the Wolverines backfield for three years. Michigan has a history of great running backs, and Corum leaves the university as one of the best ever.
2020
Corum saw limited action in his freshman season. He appeared in six games and had 150 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. This season was a strange one, as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic. Everyone’s stats were down, as many games were canceled due to virus exposure.
2021
Blake Corum started to emerge in his sophomore season. In 12 games, he rushed for 952 yards on 144 attempts (6.6 yards per carry). He added 141 yards receiving and had 12 total touchdowns. This would begin his streak of three straight years of over 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
2022
Corum’s 2022 season was special. For much of the year, he was in the Heisman Trophy conversation. However, a late-season injury caused his stats to fall off at the end. Despite missing some time at the end of the season, he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished seventh in the Heisman voting.
2023
Michigan fans rejoiced when Blake Corum announced he would be returning for his senior season. Corum found the endzone many times in 2023. While his rushing yards were down from the previous year (1,245), he had a whopping 27 rushing touchdowns. He had a key catch on fourth down in the semifinal matchup against Alabama on the game-tying drive. He leaves Michigan fifth in yards and first in touchdowns all time for the school.
Blake Corum’s Strengths
- Great vision; consistently gets to the second level
- Good combination of power and twitch
- Drops shoulders to finish runs well
- Plays well for his size
Blake Corum’s Weaknesses
- Durability concerns: lots of carries in college
- Raw in pass protection
- Raw in receiving
NFL Player Comparisons
Rookie Outlook
Blake Corum has had too much success on the field not to be picked. With the NFL going to a running back-by-committee approach, Corum should fit in well. If he isn’t the bell cow back, he should fit in nicely to an NFL roster, especially one with a strong offensive line. NFL Mock Draft Database has him projected as a second-round pick.
One of the most popular destinations is Baltimore for many reasons. First, they boast one of the best rushing attacks in the league yet do not have an elite running back on the roster. Second, John Harbaugh likely has inside knowledge of Corum’s play as his brother Jim coached Corum for all four years.
Fantasy Outlook
As with many players, the destination matters for Blake Corum. If he does end up in Baltimore, he is worth picking up in the later rounds. I could also see the Bengals, Chargers, or Cowboys being teams where he could see immediate action. Rookie running backs have historically been able to find playing time in their rookie seasons.
The concerns about durability and his long-term outlook are there, but for 2024, he might be one of the steals in the late rounds or a solid waiver wire pickup midseason. His knack for finding the end zone is what should make fantasy football managers pay attention. Even if he does not get many yards, scoring touchdowns in king in fantasy football. Blake Corum will be one to watch during the draft. If he is drafted by the right team, he may be a viable flex option.
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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