HERMOSA BEACH — The first time Blake Corum ever played on a football team, its name was the Rams. So when the Michigan running back was selected by the Rams in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday night, it felt fitting.
“It was a really full-circle moment, like, I’m playing for the Rams in the NFL,” Corum said over Zoom Friday. “It’s been amazing.”
Using the 83rd overall pick, the Rams addressed a need that head coach Sean McVay had spoken about since the owners’ meeting in March. The Rams needed a dependable backup for starting running back Kyren Williams after last season’s breakout star dealt with multiple injuries, including an ankle sprain that cost him four games.
Corum, 23, rushed 258 times for 1,245 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior, serving as a team captain during the Wolverines’ unbeaten run to a national championship. It was his second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign after rushing for 1,463 yards as a junior. He developed a reputation with Michigan for his ability to score at the goal line, with 58 touchdowns in his collegiate career.
The 5-foot-8, 213-pound running back tore his meniscus as a sophomore and required surgery to repair the injury, but was able to bounce back and play a key role in two trips to the College Football Playoff.
Corum said he spoke with running backs coach Ron Gould last week and called it a productive phone call, and came away from the conversation with a sense that the Rams might be the team to take him.
“Next thing you know, I’m a Ram tonight,” Corum said. “I’m excited to get to work, meet my teammates and do whatever I can to help the organization continue to win.”
He figures to play a complementary role alongside Williams, a former fifth-round pick who rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns in his second season in the NFL despite missing four games. The Rams have second-year back Zach Evans on the roster and brought back Ronnie Rivers on a tendered contract, but McVay wanted to add more competition for the backup job.
Corum had 75 pass-blocking opportunities the past two seasons, but he did not allow a sack in his collegiate career, per Pro Football Focus. He caught 56 passes in his four seasons at Michigan, gaining 411 yards and three touchdowns.
“I think there are some different things that he can do that bring an added element in the pass game,” head coach Sean McVay said. “You can see he’s at his best when his shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage. … You just see the competitive toughness and then as games wear on, it seems like that’s when he gets better and better.”
