Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most well-known players in all of college football. The compact power runner was the engine that helped propel the Wolverines to a National Championship, the first one in decades. There are several differing opinions regarding Corum and his prospects at the next level. For this article, we will examine the player, highlight his strengths and weaknesses, and reveal his prospects for the NFL and your Dynasty squads. Without further ado, let us examine this talented runner.
Profile
- School: Michigan
- Year: Senior
- Position: Running Back
- Home Town: Laurel, Maryland
- Height: 5’8″
- Weight: 214 lbs.
Background
Corum came to Michigan via St. Francis Academy in Baltimore, MD. He was part of an interesting High School story. The school was accused of recruiting football players illegally. The school built such an imposing team through scholarships that they won a championship because several schools they were to play forfeited their matchup.
Corum was a star at the school. He helped lead the St. Francis team to an amazing No.4 national ranking. His stats of 172/1,438/22 led to his selection as the Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Maryland. These amazing accomplishments led to Corum being heavily recruited by some major programs.
Blake eventually chose Michigan over a list of some serious universities. The rundown included Baylor, Boston College, East Carolina, and Ohio State. Corum was the No.19 ranked RB in the nation according to 247sports.com
Michigan Wolverine
Upon his arrival at Ann Arbor, Corum was put on the back burner for his freshman season. He saw very little of the field that first year. However, he did impress the staff as he allegedly ran a 4.4 40-yard dash. He was also an accomplished student, scoring very well in his classes.
After that first year, Corum exploded on the college football stage, emerging over 1,000 total yards in the next three seasons. While not heavily involved in the passing game, he also showed some ability in that part of the game. Corum was one of the most important pieces of Wolverine’s back-to-back Big10 Titles, especially their 2023 National Championship. You can find his stats below.
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2020 | Michigan | Big Ten | FR | RB | 6 | 26 | 77 | 3.0 | 2 | 5 | 73 | 14.6 | 0 | 31 | 150 | 4.8 | 2 |
| *2021 | Michigan | Big Ten | SO | RB | 12 | 144 | 952 | 6.6 | 11 | 24 | 141 | 5.9 | 1 | 168 | 1093 | 6.5 | 12 |
| *2022 | Michigan | Big Ten | JR | 12 | 247 | 1463 | 5.9 | 18 | 11 | 80 | 7.3 | 1 | 258 | 1543 | 6.0 | 19 | |
| *2023 | Michigan | Big Ten | SR | RB | 15 | 258 | 1245 | 4.8 | 27 | 16 | 117 | 7.3 | 1 | 274 | 1362 | 5.0 | 28 |
| Career | Michigan | 675 | 3737 | 5.5 | 58 | 56 | 411 | 7.3 | 3 | 731 | 4148 | 5.7 | 61 | ||||
Film Review Strengths
Now, let us dive into the film. Immediately, the first thing that stands out when watching Corum’s tape is that he runs with excellent power. Aided by his slight stature and low center of gravity, he is a physical runner who plows through contact all over the field.
Another area that stuck out to me was Corum’s shiftyness. He can make defenders miss in small spaces. His jump cut was a thing of beauty as it allowed him to routinely bounce out of the hole and make his way up the field to the next level.
While he will never be confused with Chris Johnson or Jamaal Charles, Corum does seem to have adequate speed. I’m not sure if he will run the 4.4 40-yard dash that he supposedly ran in college, but there was evidence that he could rip off some big plays when the opportunity presented itself.
As highlighted earlier in the article, Corum isn’t exactly the most adept pass catcher. This does not mean that he cannot do it; it is more that he was not asked to do much of it at Michigan. You can see below that he doesn’t fight the ball when thrown his way, and he surely knows how to get upfield once he has the ball in his hands.
Another thing that stood out to me about Corum was his contact balance. You might expect this for a player with a lower center of gravity. If defenders didn’t wrap him up, he could reset his feet and gain extra yards, just as in the play below.
Weaknesses
Despite the reported 4.4 40-yard dash, Corum does seem to lack an extra gear. He can be caught from behind by speedy defenders. His lack of overall size can also lead to him struggling with pass blocking against bigger defenders.
One of the most apparent detriments that Corum has is his age. His decision to return to school for one more season worked out brilliantly from a team perspective. Corum was able to help his coach and his team get over the last hurdle and finally bring a National Championship back to Ann Arbor. However, that does mean he will be older for a rookie coming into the season as a 23-year-old rookie with a birthday in November. For dynasty purposes, this shortens the time he will likely be a usable asset.
Corum also comes into the league with considerable touches on his legs. With 675 carries, it may have taken something out of the workhorse back. Over his three years as a starter, his YPC came down every season.
Final Thoughts
When studying Blake Corum’s tape, you really want to like this player. He is a hard-nosed, no-nonsense type of runner. His low center of gravity and sturdy build will serve him well at the NFL level. As a runner, I can see glimpses of a David Montgomery type where he does an excellent job of maximizing his gifts and, in particular, forces a hefty number of missed tackles. However, I am unsure where he will fit in at the next level.
Unlike Montgomery, Corum has not shown to be an accomplished receiver in the passing game. His pass-blocking can sometimes leave you wanting. He doesn’t appear to have that overdrive gear that will help him succeed at the next level, where his teammates won’t be able to enforce their will against the Indiana and Purdue’s of the world.
Overall, I think Corum could be a nice committee running back at the next level. Depending upon his landing spot, he could also be a decent asset for your dynasty squads. I feel that he will be an early Day 3 draft pick. He could surprise if he tests well and jumps into the back half of Day 2. Corum will be one of the biggest watches at the upcoming NFL combine, as his numbers will go a long way to helping determine his value at the next level. One thing is for certain: it’s hard not to like a player with his heart.
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