Where Blake Corum-Donovan Edwards Duo Ranks On 247Sports

The Wolverines have two of the best backs in college football and it's not shocking they are ranked so high by 247Sports.

Michigan football returns over 80% of its production from last season. The Wolverines' offense also returns every playmaker from their College Football Playoff squad, save for Ronnie Bell and Luke Schoonmaker. 

But arguably the most significant returnees from the 2022 team are J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Donovan Edwards. Of course, McCarthy and Edwards are juniors, so they had to return to college for at least one more season, but Corum did not have to return -- he wants to win a national championship with Michigan. 

The maize and blue have, arguably, the best running back duo in all of football with Corum returning after having a Heisman-caliber year. And it's not shocking how high the duo was ranked by 247Sports. 

247Sports ranked the top 10 duos in college football heading into the 2023 season. Corum-Edwards came in at No. 2 behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. 

With two of college football’s most electric running backs lining up in the same offense, it is no surprise that CBS Sports tabbed Michigan’s stable of ballcarriers as the nation’s best group for 2023. A knee injury cut short a terrific junior campaign for first-stringer Blake Corum, whose 1,463 yards last year rank eighth in program single-season history while his 18 touchdowns are tied for the Wolverines’ third-most. In Corum’s absence, Donovan Edwards saw his role increase and immediately took advantage of the uptick in carries, rushing for 216 yards and two touchdowns in Michigan’s rivalry win over Ohio State. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry on the year.

After rushing for 1,463 yards last year, Corum finished third in the Big Ten in yardage -- even after missing the final three games due to injury. It's not impossible to think Corum could've won the Heisman in 2022 if he doesn't get injured against Illinois. When you think of Michigan's offense in '22 the first person that comes to mind is Corum.

But what was super impressive is what Edwards did -- in a cast -- during Corum's absence. He finished the season with 991 rushing yards, but Edwards was a workhorse during that final three-game stretch. He combined for 520 yards on the ground against Ohio State, Purdue, and TCU. 

As long as both backs stay healthy this year, Michigan should have two 1,000-yard backs in 2023.