Blake Corum Scouting Report and Fantasy Football Outlook

Blake Corum Scouting Report

• Underdog ADP: 129.0 overall (RB40), rookie RB3

Blake Corum was a key offensive piece for a Michigan Wolverines team that went 28-1 over the past two seasons, winning the 2023 National Championship. A true workhorse at the college level, there is some skepticism over how his game will transition to the NFL, but a solid showing at the NFL Combine was encouraging for his fantasy relevance. 

He didn’t crush the athletic testing, but showed out as a good all-around athlete and was great in the agility and strength drills. He may not be the most dynamic athlete at the position, but he at least hit the thresholds we look for to say that his athleticism won’t hold him back when stepping onto an NFL field.

Corum was awarded Comeback Player of the Year in 2023 after he rebounded from a torn meniscus that caused him to miss the end of the 2022 campaign. He was also widely acknowledged as one of the leaders on that Michigan team and seems to be a great locker room presence. I wouldn’t be surprised if NFL teams like Corum more than the fantasy community does.

Blake Corum Pros and Cons

Pros

Elite production

Very few players can match Corum’s production profile. He accumulated more than 4,000 scrimmage yards and 61 total TDs throughout his college career, incredibly impressive accomplishments. He proved capable of handling a large workload while remaining pretty efficient. 

Corum was able to serve as a true workhorse for the Michigan offense when needed. He handled 20-plus rush attempts on 14 occasions over the last three seasons and projects as a reliable early-down rusher at the next level. During an eight game stretch in the 2022 season, Corum was basically the entire Michigan offense as he averaged 26.5 rush attempts and 152.5 rushing yards per game. 

The one concern with his production profile is how much less efficient he was in 2023 following his standout performances in 2021 and 2022. I’m largely chalking this up to the fact that Corum was recovering from the torn meniscus and may not have been 100% healthy for much of the season. 

Tackle breaking

Corum was very effective at creating yards after contact and forcing missed tackles in college. During the 2022 season, he ranked 10th in the nation in missed tackles forced (73) and 11th for yards after contact (832). This is one of the biggest positives for Corum in my opinion, and I expect this skill to translate well to the NFL.

Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum (2) runs in the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

He displayed great contact balance on film and has good lateral agility, which makes him tough to stop in the backfield. NFL coaches will love his ability to turn negative or neutral plays into positive ones by making the first tackler miss. This is especially appealing in short yardage situations where Corum proved very effective at converting for first downs or TDs. 

If Corum is drafted by a team willing to give him the goal line carries right away, he could have real upside as a rookie with the potential to be a double-digit TD kind of back. If he lands in a spot where there is an established player in that role, I’ll be docking his fantasy value accordingly. 

Cons

Speed and burst

Corum doesn’t blow anyone away with his speed or acceleration. His testing numbers at the NFL Combine were OK, but a bit underwhelming for a back that isn’t very big. He also wasn’t particularly effective at breaking long runs in college. For his career, he managed a run of 10-plus yards on 12.4% of his attempts, which doesn’t compare favorably to some of the prospects I like more at the position. MarShawn Lloyd (18.3%), Trey Brenson (17.1%) and Jonathon Brooks (14.3%) all grade out meaningfully better in that area.

A 4.53 in the 40-yard dash is adequate for an NFL RB, but Corum’s 1.58 10-yard split was mildly concerning — it tied for second-slowest in this class. This aligns with his film, as he wasn’t running away from defenders when he got to the second level but definitely isn’t a plodder, either. He can rip off chunk gains but wouldn’t be described as a home run hitter.

A high percentage of his TD runs came from short distances which could be a minor red flag as those are more a product of the offense than the individual effort of Corum. That being said, Corum was the engine for the Michigan offense and was often a big part of getting the team in scoring position to begin with so I’m not docking him much for it.

Age/tread on the tires

Corum will turn 24 in November of this year, which makes him an older prospect at a position where age matters. He is more than three full years older than fellow rookie prospect Braelon Allen, which could (and I would argue should) be a real consideration for teams thinking about investing draft capital at the RB position. 

Michigan running back Blake Corum runs the ball in for a touchdown during fourth quarter at the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday, Jan.8, 2024.

Thinking ahead to his career trajectory, Corum’s age 30 season will be right around the corner by the time he finishes his rookie deal and is negotiating a second contract. Even if he is very effective in the NFL, his age will limit his value.

Not only is Corum an older prospect, he also has handled a large workload over the last few seasons. More than 500 rush attempts over the last two years and 731 total touches in college is a legit workload that takes a toll on the body. It shouldn’t be an issue early in his career, but it could make sense in dynasty leaguers to move off Corum sooner rather than later if puts up good numbers on a large number of carries in his first few seasons.

Fantasy Football Outlook for Blake Corum

Corum profiles as the early-down back in a committee, which can be very valuable for fantasy in an offense that creates plenty of scoring opportunities. His lack of pass-catching chops makes it unlikely he will ever be a fantasy superstar, but I do expect him to be relevant for at least his rookie contract.

Based purely on talent evaluation, I think Corum is a bit overvalued at his current cost in drafts, but that is an opinion I am willing to back off of if he gets better than expected draft capital. Again, I wouldn’t be surprised if NFL teams like Corum more than the fantasy community, and that is worth noting at the RB position where volume matters most. 

There has been plenty of speculation that Corum could find himself playing for his college coach, Jim Harbaugh, with the Chargers. That would be a pretty ideal landing spot and I would be in on Corum if he is the only other notable addition they make in the backfield. Of course, his price would probably rise in that scenario as well, so we would need to see how high he rises in drafts.