Michigan Wolverines RB Blake Corum has had an impressive college career. Corum will certainly get drafted, but he joins a slew of other running backs hoping to go on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at Corum’s football history and his path to the NFL.
Where Did Blake Corum’s Football Career Start?
Corum played high school football at Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. As a senior, he ran for 1,438 yards and 22 touchdowns. His school wound up ranking No. 4 in the nation.
Corum was named the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Maryland, as well as The Baltimore Sun’s Offensive Player of the Year. His high school performance resulted in him being a four-star recruit and fielding offers from a staggering 28 schools. After careful consideration, Corum chose to enroll at Michigan.
Revisiting Corum’s College Career
Michigan
While Corum didn’t quite redshirt his freshman year, he didn’t exactly play much. He appeared in six games, handling a total of 26 carries.
Corum’s collegiate career really got going in his sophomore year. In 12 games, he ran the ball 144 times, amassing 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 24 receptions for 141 yards put him over 1,000 total yards for the season.
As a junior in 2022, Corum truly blossomed into an elite college football player. In 12 games, he carried the ball 247 times for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. Adding in his 80 receiving yards, Corum surpassed 1,500 yards for the season.
Corum was likely going to enter the 2023 NFL Draft had it not been for the way his junior year ended. A November MCL sprain and meniscus tear ultimately forced Corum to undergo knee surgery.
Blake Corum is a difference maker 🔥
— College Football Network (@CFN365) December 5, 2021
Rather than head to the NFL without doing any athletic testing and likely missing rookie minicamp, Corum opted to return to Michigan for his senior year, citing the injury and his desire to win a national championship.
As a senior, Corum carried the ball 258 times for 1,245 yards and 27 touchdowns. He added 16 receptions for 117 yards and a score through the air. While many players claim they want to return to school to chase a title, few are actually able to do it.
Corum did, with Michigan going undefeated and capturing the national championship he desired.
Corum’s Potential in the NFL
Corum is a very interesting prospect because he’s not really elite at anything, but profiles as just a really good football player. Some guys just have a knack for playing football, and Corum appears to be one of them.
That may enable him to consistently outperform his athleticism, according to Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings.
“As a pure runner, Corum’s profile is impressively well-rounded. He might not be quantifiably elite in any area, but he has excellent burst, speed, lateral agility, vision, and creative instincts when approaching and off-setting defenders.”
The 2024 running back class is considered one of the weaker classes in recent memory. There is no clear RB1. It’s unclear how many backs will even be selected on Day 2. Corum just hopes to be one of them.
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Blake Corum
“[A]s a Day 2 prospect who might fall to Day 3 on account of his size and age, Corum can be a great NFL rotational back right out of the gate, and he has the necessary athleticism, vision, spatial manipulation, density, and physicality to take on starter volume and thrive with good blocking.”
As is the case with many running backs in this year’s class, Corum’s outcomes range from seldom-used backup to workhorse RB1 two-down grinder. Situation and opportunity will likely play a significant role in Corum’s early-career success.
Corum’s Highlights, Records, and More
Corum is quite the accomplished individual. Not only did he win the national championship as a senior, but he was also named the game’s MVP, carrying the ball 21 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Prior to going out on the highest of notes, Corum secured a number of other personal accolades. In 2021, he was named third-team All-Big Ten, and then first-team All-Big Ten in 2022 and 2023.
Corum was a unanimous All-American in 2022 and a first-team All-American in 2023. He was the 2022 Big Ten MVP and Big Ten Running Back of the Year in 2022 and 2023. In addition, CFN named him to its 2023 second-team All-American Offense.
During his incredible 2022 season, Corum was one of the favorites to win the Heisman at the time of his season-ending knee injury.