Blake Corum - Draft Evaluation
Mates,
Yesterday there was a Mikey thread about his draft prospects and Blake "The Great" Corum came up in the conversation.
Blake's combine numbers will probably go a long way to determine where/when he gets drafted, but I did come across a fairly decent article analyzing Blake's NFL prospects. The author makes what sounds like a reasonable case for Blake to be drafted on day 2. He lists Blake's strength's as:
- Competitive toughness
- Vision
- Quickness
- Agility
- Acceleration
- Passing down play
And his weaknesses as:
- Size
- Long speed
I am very curious about Blake's 40 speed as every 1/10th of a second is precious. Hoping he comes in at 4.5 or better, but I have no idea if that's in the ball park for him.
Link to the article here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/2024-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-blake-corum-rb-michigan/ar-BB1iRTdM?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=2103f3fac77045ad970aa2820c114722&ei=11
As a bonus, there are some highlights of Blake stuffing the ball down ohio's throat. Not the worst way to spend a few minutes of your day.
So a single (compound) question:
1. Do you think Blake gets drafted, and if so, when and by whom?
Have a great Monday and Go Blue!*
XM
*We are the 2023 National Champions in Football. Everything else is just noise.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
Can't imagine someone doesn't take him in the 4th, only takes 1 team. That TD run vs Bama in OT should be enough to make it happen.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
I saw one scout's report on Corum that made a lot of sense -- regardless of where he goes, he should be a step ahead bc he's already ran behind basically every style of NFL run blocking. Michigan/Harbaugh prepared him for everything.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
Very good point.
Mike Hart ran a 4.69. I think Corum is faster so 4.5’s seems about right. Would be ecstatic for him if he breaks 4.50.
February 26th, 2024 at 2:49 PM ^
Like Mike Hart, but faster.
February 26th, 2024 at 4:55 PM ^
Thank you Freddy J.
February 26th, 2024 at 5:43 PM ^
Like Mike Hart but quicker
February 26th, 2024 at 6:56 PM ^
He is ranked somewhere around 4-6 best RBs. If we go by previous drafts, on average, 7 RB are picked by the end of 3rd round. So, the most likely spot for him would be the middle or the end of 3rd round.
February 26th, 2024 at 9:26 PM ^
It's a weak year for RB class. None are considered to be top 50 pick so if he's the 7th best and the top won't go until late 2nd then he won't see his name called until 4th round at the earliest.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:11 AM ^
It is a weak year because there are no 1st round talents. However, in most drafts most of the top RBs are picked in late 2nd and 3rd round. So, if he comes out of combines as 4-6 best RBs, still will have a chance to go in round 3. Salary wise the difference between 3rd and 4th rounds is not that significant. The problem is that RBs have a short shelf life and cannot count on the 2nd and 3rd contracts where the real money is made.
Hopefully he will have a long carrier.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:48 PM ^
Jim or John will draft him.
February 26th, 2024 at 4:35 PM ^
💯
There is no way Jim Harbaugh let's Blake Corum go past the 4th. I thought he'd take both Blake & Mikey, til I saw Mikey mocked in the 1st frickin round yesterday!
Even if that was off by 20 picks, it's still higher than I'd been thinking he'd go. Maybe the writer of that mock is a Michigan+Lions fan? It seems pretty optimistic...
February 26th, 2024 at 6:07 PM ^
I can't take that Mikey mock seriously. Mikey is a great player but he's a nickel. The Lions are set at nickel with Brian Branch and the safeties they have. There is no way they would use a first round pick on a position they are set at. They need outside corner and pass rush.
Also, Mikey is not a first round caliber talent. He's probably 2nd round at best.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:13 AM ^
Mentally and emotionally he's a first round pick. Just not physically.
February 27th, 2024 at 7:18 AM ^
Or Jay
February 26th, 2024 at 12:51 PM ^
Seems like a perfect fit for the Lions as their RB3 if he is around in Round 5. He would be a perfect complement for the Gibbs / Montgomery room.
My guess though is that he goes in the 3rd round.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:40 PM ^
ofall the teams that don't need Corum, the Lions might be at the top of the list.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
Yeah this reminds me of the "what if the Lions draft Sainristil" thread from yesterday. I love both of those players, and nothing would make me happier than for them to play for the Lions. But they just don't play positions of need for the Lions right now.
February 26th, 2024 at 2:03 PM ^
I think the idea would be to move Branch to safety. Sure seems like he could be a dynamic safety.
February 26th, 2024 at 6:08 PM ^
But they already have 2 starting safeties with the option of bringing CJ back for another season. Safety might be their deepest position on the roster.
February 26th, 2024 at 3:06 PM ^
RB3 is almost always a special teams "specialist". I don't know if that suits Corum well
February 26th, 2024 at 6:08 PM ^
Craig Reynolds fits the RB3 role perfectly. Lions don't need Corum unfortunately.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:11 PM ^
100% gets drafted. But not high. He's had a lot of wear and tear. The challenge I see for him is that he has great vision and gets you that 1 yard... but his size is a limiting factor in the NFL. He won't be able to push the pile the same way and he's not insanely quick and shifty (At the NFL level).
I think the issue is he's a short yardage type back in a scat back type body.
Wonder if he could stay strong but lean up a bit and recapture the speed and become a 3rd down type back who can do a variety of things?
He didn't catch a lot of balls out of the backfield that I can remember, though with our offense and other weapons (e.g. DE), not sure that means he can't.
Hoping he finds a good spot for a few years and has a good career before settling back in Marshall, VA and joins us for a great dinner at Field and Main, presumably near his house growing up. Dinner will be on us and my son would go insane.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:29 PM ^
Fair opinion and I see where you are coming from but I think this severely undervalues Corum. He's doesn't have the speed of a scatback but I think he has the moves. He ghosts people in a way that is not to leave them grasping for air but to make the more slight move to get the angle and leverage on them. True, that does not result in breakaway runs much but he absolutely is a guy that gets you 4 yards instead of 1 and it's not just based on brute strength, it's because guys usually don't hit him square. Blake reminds me of an Emmit Smith type back (not predicting the same level of success but the same style of play).
February 26th, 2024 at 1:20 PM ^
First off Blake has that balance and agility and gets up to top speed quickly. He was a 4.4 guy until he put on about 15 20 lbs of muscle which made him much more durable but he lost that breakaway speed. He still has tons of speed but a RB doesn't need breakaway speed to be the best RB in the NFL. Barry Sanders didn't have breakaway speed but he was the best. Blake is the same size and weight as Barry and his comp is about the same but obviously he doesn't have the traits Barry has but he has been compared to Barry before by NFL teams.
Guess I better say this as no one will ever compare to Barry in his abilities.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:42 PM ^
hard to compare him to an unicorn
February 26th, 2024 at 2:53 PM ^
He was a 4.4 guy until he put on about 15 20 lbs of muscle which made him much more durable but he lost that breakaway speed.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that remembers this. My early impression of him was that he was a speed back. He was the lightning to Haskins's thunder. He definitely did seem to get slower (likely, as you said, as he added weight), but I've always found the comments about him being slow to be strange, as I distinctly remember him being fast...
February 26th, 2024 at 3:21 PM ^
I was watching his 2023 highlight reel and I think I see where they're coming from. The 2023 Blake Corum was caught from behind a few times where the 2021 Blake Corum would not have been.
At the same time (and I admit I may be wearing my homer glasses here), I think he has the skills to have a decent career in the NFL.
February 26th, 2024 at 10:41 PM ^
Speaking of which, I'm guessing Blake is in the process of dumping a lot of that bulk that he put on in 22 and 23. His 40 time and M resume are going to be more important for him than weight lifting stats at the combine. If he combines his actual history with a 2021 era Blake Corum 40 time, he may go in the 2nd round.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:21 PM ^
True - and i'm trying to be objective. I'd put him on my team (which I don't have of course) any day of the week.
Question I'd ask is how the NFL is valuing that skill set now... at least in terms of draft picks. I think he gets drafted... but I'd agree with you.
Honestly, the thing that worries me most is 1) knee and 2) wear and tear. He has run so so much the past 2-3 years... the way the NFL looks at these guys is so disposable. Feels like there are 4-6 new random RBs every year that come out of nowhere. Low picks, no picks, backups...
Hopefully, as you said, he has an opportunity to show what he's capable and fit a spot to be effective.
February 26th, 2024 at 1:39 PM ^
I'm reminded of a certain writer's penchant for the phrase "juke a guy in a phone booth" when describing Corum runs...
February 26th, 2024 at 1:16 PM ^
What a terrible take on Blake Tesla. You don't really know football that well, read your past comments before and they are terrible. Educate before you speak. Blake can be an every down back he is compact and small which makes it harder for guys to see him coming out of the backfield. He is 210 lbs and has great speed for a RB, not Gibbs speed but great enough for a RB. He has good hands out of the backfield as he as that guy when HH was here to catch out of the backfield. With DE Blake didn't have to showcase that as DE was the guy. Blake should be a 3rd pick or better. Granted RBs aren't valued as much so Thai pushes all RB down further. Last year 2 in first Rd was rare. Blake has all the tools to be a 3 down back in the NFL
February 26th, 2024 at 1:24 PM ^
I am a super well informed fan who has knowledge of inner workings of programs and can tell people that 80% of what people think they know or what is going on is funny. They would be laughed off if they actually worked inside some buildings. Go Blue!!! - blueandmaizeballs
Super important, you are!
February 26th, 2024 at 1:33 PM ^
And I do, and I was informing someone about a stupid opinion because they thought they knew what goes on behind the scenes in college programs. Which I didn't know until I started working in the field. I was ill informed also. Not super in that tense but a person that knows what goes on in some college football programs that 90% of fans don't know that is it. Doesn't make me special it just gives me insight that I didn't have at one time and now I do. That was all I was saying. I also thought it was easy as fire this guy fire this guy but there is so much more going on then I ever imagined and most fans will ever think of. But,I also don't go back and look up other members stuff they posted and rehash it.
Just saying your take on Blake is all wrong. Saying he is a power back and won't push the pile. They aren't going to use him like that as that would be stupid as he isn't made to push the pile. He is small and can get low to the ground and get those yards without having to push. Blake is a 3 down back perfect build as he is low in stature and built like a brick shit house. He is almost exactly the same size as Barry Sanders was
February 26th, 2024 at 1:44 PM ^
"He is almost exactly the same size as Barry Sanders was"
About the same height, but about 15lbs heavier.
Thing is - Barry was a 4.37 40 guy. Corum will not run sub 4.5
...and Barry wouldn't have gotten drafted as high in todays NFL.
February 26th, 2024 at 2:38 PM ^
Weird that you jumped on that but ignored the part where we agree. He lost lost speed due to bulking up to be the feature back the past 2 years. I even offered up that he could trim down a bit.. not saying he should.. but the goal is for him to have staying power int he league. He's not a ST guy that can contribute too much in multiple ways. He's not a return guy. So..
You insisting that he's like Barry sanders... is a little ridiculous.
He's small, shifty, with big legs and people from Michigan love him. That's about where the comparison should end. But since you know more and you think he's Barry part 2... I assume the NFL GMs, at least ONE of them will see that and take him early right?
By the way - the QUESTION asked was.... "will he be drafted?"... and my response was yes. You should be arguing with those that feel he won't be or shouldn't. But, its the internet. So you do you.
February 26th, 2024 at 2:45 PM ^
I'm not sure how much of Blake not catching the ball was actively saving something for the CFP (and having another excellent receiving back on the team). He looked pretty good catching the ball in the Rose Bowl. In 2020, he had 5 catches vs. 26 carries, and in 2021, he had 24 catches vs. 144 carries.
February 26th, 2024 at 3:46 PM ^
His first play ever at Michigan, against Minnesota in 2020, was a nice swing pass out of the backfield. He looked so natural catching and accelerating that I remember thinking he was going to be used heavily in that way.
February 26th, 2024 at 4:21 PM ^
this must be a clever AI video. there was no football in 2020. there was no 2020. i'm certain of it....
February 26th, 2024 at 3:12 PM ^
He looked so much quicker and leaner against Udub under the lights in 2021 compared to against Udub in the national championship. Like, night and day difference.
February 26th, 2024 at 9:31 PM ^
And yet the results were nearly identical!
February 26th, 2024 at 12:14 PM ^
I don't know what round Blake will be drafted in - but, I certainly hope some team will pick him. There's a element to his character that - IMO - means he'll be successful at whatever he pursues. He's all about the team - and team success.
Whatever he may lack in size or speed - he makes up for in heart, commitment, and effort.
So - perhaps he's a short yardage back that gets drafted in a mid / latter round. The NFL's focus on the passing game - with an associated "devaluation" of the RB position is what he has to manage.
I wish him well in every endeavor - and, he's always welcome at our tailgate!
February 26th, 2024 at 1:47 PM ^
I must have rose colored glasses on. I didn't even consider it an option that Blake might not get drafted. He seems to be such a smart runner, that excels in small spaces and can accelerate out of them. I feel that a ton of teams would take him if he drops to 5th round. I know it is a big difference between college and NFL though, but I thought he was a shoe in to get drafted. Good luck to him. As you stated a high character person on top of a great player.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:17 PM ^
I can see the Chargers taking him. Their rb Ekeler is getting older and Blake would be a nice replacement.
February 26th, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
i heard he might have an 'in' with the coaching staff....
February 26th, 2024 at 12:29 PM ^
I could see a pipeline of Michigan players going to the Chargers - either as draftees or UDFAs.
February 26th, 2024 at 5:05 PM ^
I opined this as soon as QJo declared. Ain't no way he's getting drafted, so Harbaugh must've guaranteed he'd sign him as UDFA. Will Barrett get drafted? Charger if not. Maybe a Charger late round pick of they think someone will take him.
My list of players Harbaugh will value more than other teams besides Corum & Barrett, includes possibly Jenkins, Keegan, Cornelius, Barner, Trente. I certainly would have had Sainristil high on that list until he got mocked in the 1st yesterday! Maybe Chargers 2nd round pick if he gets past the Lions?!
LAC could be a veritable Michigan West!
February 26th, 2024 at 12:34 PM ^
the ENTIRE coaching staff ;-)
February 26th, 2024 at 12:40 PM ^
uh oh, here's trouble!
chuck, what do you think of the sherrone moore hire? i know you'll give a solid answer and am curious about your thoughts.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:10 AM ^
Seems like a good guy. Has a plan/identity for his offense.
The unknown is being a head coach who's never before been a head coach. And to be a first-time HC at a premier program like this...sometimes ya never know. He & Day have that in common.
February 26th, 2024 at 2:00 PM ^
Chuck,
Welcome.
Interested to hear your take on the Chip Kelly hire.
Also, thoughts on the Avengers squad C'ryan Day has assembled for the coming year. Surely he is done if they don't at least win the B1G or make the National Championship game?
Have you hung the Buckeyes 2024 Off-Season Champs Banner yet?
Good day, sir.