Week 5 Prospects Watch Review

Blake Corum vs. Iowa

29 attempts, 133 rushing yards(4.6 YPC), one rushing TD, two rec, nine receiving yards

After carrying the ball 30 times against Maryland, Michigan relied on Blake Corum to be the bell cow against another important Big Ten opponent. Iowa played tough run defense as expected entering this game. Corum was faced with crowded line of scrimmages and holes being open for milliseconds. Despite this, Corum showed out and needed to be considered a top back in the class. His patience and burst were evident on a down-to-down basis. In almost every one of his runs, Corum was able to pick through messy holes and burst through for good gains. Corum averaged 4.6 yards per carrying on 29 attempts which shows how consistent and great his down-to-down game was. The longest run of the day was his 20-yard scamper which iced the game for the Wolverines.

Corum shows advanced patience, vision, and athletic ability in his game. What puts him over the top as a runner is the leg drive and strength he runs with despite his smaller frame. He has a natural conversion from a receiver to a runner, bringing value as a three-down back. In this game, Corum showed he could be effective in short-yardage situations. However, an NFL team with a bigger power back would be smart to add Corum as their all-purpose back and allow him to rest on short yardage downs. He should be near the top of NFL running back prospects.