For most of his tenure as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, Sean McVay has shown a strong preference for using one bell-cow running back. He did it with Todd Gurley, C.J. Anderson (briefly) Darrell Henderson Jr., Cam Akers and, most recently, Kyren Williams.
However, the Rams made a significant investment in another running back this offseason, using the No. 83 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on former Michigan star Blake Corum. Given that Williams logged seven games (out of 12) with at least an 80% snap rate and five with a snap rate over 90%, and because he's on the smaller side at just 5-9, 194 pounds, it's notable that the Rams used a Day 2 pick on another back.
It's also notable that McVay has been impressed with Corum's work this offseason.
"On the offensive side, I've been pleased with a lot of guys, but Blake Corum has really stood out," McVay said, via RamsWire. "Mature beyond his years. I love the way that he handles himself. I love even more how when there's been a couple of things that didn't go the way we wanted, how he responded the next play. The mental toughness that you see from him. [Running backs coach] Ron Gould is excellent with that room. Even Kyren in his own way has done such a great job of imparting a certain amount of wisdom with him."
Corum, like Williams, is somewhat on the smaller size at 5-8, but he's got a thicker build at 213 pounds. He ran for 3,737 yards and 58 touchdowns during his time at Michigan, going over 1,245 yards and 18 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.
For a player on the smaller side, he showed an ability to handle a significant workload, carrying the ball 143, 247, and 258 times during his three years as a part-time or full-time player. That makes him a potentially strong fit for McVay, given his preferred route of using a feature back. If Williams were to miss time due to injury (as he did last year), it seems like Corum would be in a good spot to step right into a significant role.
