Top Analytics Expert Criticizes Los Angeles Rams for Blake Corum Pick

The reaction to the Los Angeles Rams draft has been mostly positive. It was one of those drafts that each and every pick could be easily justified… in theory. But the inconvenient truth about all draft picks is that theory and practice don’t always line up. Even the most sure picks have the potential to combust at any moment spontaneously.

The Rams’ third-round pick, Blake Corum is one of the easiest picks to see working out for the Rams. He was a great high-volume running back in college and last season the Rams got their rushing attack humming like a well-oiled machine largely due to a Corum clone, Kyren Williams .

Sharp Football Weighs in On Los Angeles Rams 3rd Round Pick

Sharp Football Analysis didn’t find the Corum pick to make all that much sense when looking at his drop-off in production after he suffered a torn meniscus in the Michigan Wolverines’ third to last game in 2022. It was also reported that Corum attempted to play through “multiple” knee injuries leading up to the required surgery. Here is what they noticed when looking at his numbers;

“Blake Corum (third round) was an odd selection due to a lack of need and a significant gamble in the third round. Corum looked like a potential early-round pick two years ago before a season-ending knee injury. In 2023, however, he was three yards and a cloud of dust. When accounting for defenders in the box and the inside/outside direction of the run, Corum gained 31% more yards than expected with 23% more yards after contact than expected in 2022. Last season, those numbers dropped to 8.2% more yards than expected and 8% fewer yards after contact than expected.”

Draft Sharks assses Corum’s risk of injury this season at 31.3 percent , which they consider to be a ‘low-risk.’

Corum broke Michigan’s record for rushing touchdowns in one season with 27. He also set new records for most touchdowns in a season (28) and most points scored in a season (168) for Michigan and the Big Ten. In his whole college career, he scored the most rushing touchdowns (58), most total touchdowns (61), and most points (366) for Michigan. Corum scored a touchdown in every single game Michigan played in 2023.

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