2023 NFL Draft: Blake Corum Dominates In Michigan Win vs. Maryland

Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum dominated in their win over Maryland, and he’s proving to be in the thick of the 2023 NFL Draft RB class.

As we stated here at NFL Mocks, the 2023 NFL Draft was going to feature a running back class loaded with talent from top to bottom. There have already been excellent performances from the group so far this season, and Michigan’s Blake Corum tossed his hat in the ring of great performances after Saturday against Maryland.

Corum ran for 243 yards on 30 carries and scored two touchdowns. The whopping 8.1 yards per carry certainly stands out, and while the offensive line should get some of the credit for Corum’s line, this was a showcase of the traits Corum brings to the table as a draft prospect.

Corum’s first touchdown was on a fourth and short, and while the entire Maryland defense pinched inside to stuff a run between the tackles, Corum, after pressing hard to the line of scrimmage, made a swift adjustment to kick his run outside. With just one man to beat, Corum showed off the impressive short area burst, seeing daylight and making Maryland pay for crashing inside too hard. His second score was an eerily similar play, as his ability to get lateral in a hurry after pressing the line of scrimmage isn’t an easy thing to do.

Corum doesn’t just have strong vision and quick processing skills. His suddenness in the short area, combined with footwork to keep defenders guessing in space, all contributes to creating yardage on his own. Add in his skills as a receiver and his fundamentals in pass protection, and you’ve got a complete player for the 2023 NFL Draft.

So why doesn’t he get the same level of attention as say, Bijan Robinson? It’s size. Can Corum, at 5’8″ and about 200 pounds, hold up as an every down workhorse back? That remains to be seen. At the very least though, his skills would make him great as a satellite back and weapon in an offense.