Los Angeles Chargers become betting favorites to draft RB Blake Corum

The Los Angeles Chargers could be going after Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum in the NFL Draft. According to DraftKings (per Pro Football Talk), the Chargers are the favorites to land the Corum with +190 odds. After the Chargers, the team with the next-shortest odds draft Corum is the New York Giants at +330. The Dallas Cowboys (+750) and Minnesota Vikings (+850) are also in the running for Corum.

What makes this interesting is the Chargers added two veteran running backs via free agency – J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Both running backs played for the Ravens last year and can be productive when healthy. The Chargers signed Dobbins and Edwards letting Austin Ekeler leave the team to sign with the Washington Commanders.

Corum was one of the top running backs in college football for the last two seasons. In 2022, he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns on 247 carries. Last year, the 23-year-old tallied 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns on 258 carries. Courm is a two-time All-American and helped Michigan win the national championship last season.

Where will Blake Corum land in the NFL Draft?

If the Chargers draft Corum, he will likely be taken on the second day of the draft. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com projects that the national champion running back will be selected in the third round. In his analysis, Zierlein wrote that Corum is a “compact runner with average size, outstanding contact balance and a rare talent for finding and fitting into small crevices for short-yardage conversions and touchdowns.”

In a recent mock draft done by ESPN, Corum was selected in the third round (No. 97 overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals. “With Joe Mixon gone, Corum would have a chance to compete for carries as a rookie,” Mel Kiper wrote in the mock draft. “Corum is a little undersized at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, but he can break tackles.”

At Michigan, Corum played for Jim Harbaugh who is now the head coach of the Chargers. While appearing on the Zach Gelb Show earlier this year, Corum was asked about the possibility of playing Harbaugh again in the NFL.

“You never know, coach might end up picking me up in the draft,” he said. “But whether he does or doesn’t I know he’s gonna be such a successful head coach as he always has been. I know the LA Chargers are gonna do big things with coach Harbaugh in charge.”