Rams rookie Blake Corum hits the ground running during offseason workouts
He was a two-time All-American at Michigan and the offensive most valuable player in the Wolverines’ national championship game victory over Washington.
So running back Blake Corum had pedigree when the Rams selected him in the third round of the NFL draft.
Yet Corum has gone through the Rams’ offseason program with an attitude that tilted more neophyte than seasoned performer.
“You just have to go in with a humble heart, and the mindset of, ‘I don’t know anything,’” Corum said Tuesday after practice, adding, “I’m going to grow from the good I do and whatever bad I do. … I’m never going to stop growing — so it was easy for me to come in and basically start over.”
The Rams selected the 5-foot-8, 210-pound Corum to complement third-year pro Kyren Williams, who made the Pro Bowl last season after rushing for 1,144 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns for a team that finished 10-7 and made the playoffs.
With Williams sidelined for voluntary offseason workouts because of a foot injury, Corum is taking advantage of increased reps as he learns the offense.
Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett declined to specify the reason for his season away from football but did confirm it fell under the umbrella of mental health.
“I’ve seen a very mature rookie,” coach Sean McVay said, adding, “I love his mental makeup, love the way he handles himself as a person and how locked in and focused he is.”
Corum is part of a position group that includes Williams, Ronnie Rivers, second-year pro Zach Evans and recently signed veteran Boston Scott. Each has displayed talent and growth — in the meeting room and on the field — during the offseason program, running backs coach Ron Gould said.
Upon Corum’s arrival in Thousand Oaks, Gould sat down with the rookie and urged him not to be too hard on himself if he committed mistakes. The worst thing Corum could do, Gould said, was put pressure on himself.
“He hasn’t done that up to this point,” Gould said. “He’s taken everything in stride. He’s a learner, and I see him growing every single day.”
Corum used a tough running style to rush for 3,737 yards and 58 touchdowns during four seasons at Michigan.
After selecting Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse in the first round of the draft, and trading up to pick Seminoles defensive tackle Braden Fiske in the second, the Rams chose Corum with the 83rd pick.
“I went into the draft just planning on going on Day 2,” Corum said. “I didn’t know if it would be the second or third [round] for me — I just wanted to go to the right situation.
“When I got the call from the Rams I was like, ‘You know what? This is the right situation.’”
McVay, Gould, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and the other running backs have eased his transition to the pros, Corum said.
“I thought I had a great family at Michigan,” Corum said. “We built a great culture there, and I didn’t know what to expect coming to the NFL where it is a business now. But it feels like family.”
After the Rams conclude workouts next week, Corum said he would leave Southern California briefly to conduct football camps in Michigan and home-state Virginia. He will return quickly to prepare for training camp, which begins in late July.
“Maybe go down to Malibu, check out a beach or two,” he said. “But other than that, I’m going to be spacing my time wisely, taking care of my body, training every day to make sure I’m in shape for camp and staying in the playbook.”
Etc.
McVay provided no update on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s contract situation. Stafford is signed through 2026, but during the NFL draft McVay acknowledged a report that the 15-year veteran wants the deal adjusted. Stafford has participated in the offseason program and will participate in final workouts next week, McVay said. … Linebacker Ernest Jones IV has participated in the offseason program but not on-field team workouts because of a knee issue, McVay said.
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