Blake Corum Smashes Bench Press At NFL Combine, Ties Massive OL Joe Alt
Former Michigan running back Blake Corum showed his strength once again at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this past weekend, leading all running backs with 27 bench press reps of 225 pounds.
For those who watched Corum rush for 58 touchdowns in his Michigan career, this feat of strength comes as no surprise. In fact, the Wolverines posted a video of Corum benching the same weight 30 times in March 2023, so the National Champion’s power has long been known within Schembechler Hall.
The surprising element comes from who Corum outperformed— notably former Norte Dame offensive lineman Joe Alt. Checking in at 6-8 and 321 pounds, Alt entered the event as a consensus first round pick and boasts a substantial size advantage over Corum, though each lifted the bar 27 times.
Corum officially measured at 5-7 and 3/4 and 205 pounds at the combine while running a 4.53 second 40-yard dash.
During the off-field testing portion, Corum continued to shine among the running backs in attendance, logging the second-quickest 3-cone drill (6.82 seconds) and the third-quickest 20-yard shuttle (4.12 seconds). According to NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats prospect grade, Corum received a 6.15 (out of 8) for his workout, which translates to a “good backup with the potential to develop into a starter” in the pros.
However, Corum has a track record of outdoing expectations, and the NFL-hopeful took to Indy determined to cement himself as an asset at the pro level. During pass-catching drills, Corum looked fairly explosive and showed the balance that was a hallmark of his Wolverine career. Running with the ball, Corum looked smooth, but his real value in that department comes with the pads on when his vision and change of direction can truly shine.
