Rams rookie RB Blake Corum didn't get the memo that he is a backup RB

I must admit that I am still trying to shake off the lethargic reaction to the Rams selection of former Michigan running back Blake Corum with the 83rd overall selection in Round 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. To be honest, I was expecting the team to select a wide receiver, tight end, or even a backup quarterback at or around that spot.

But the Rams have fooled me before, so being surprised on draft day is not exactly new to me.

The thing is, while I understood durability concerns with the Rams running back room, I didn't consider the need for a more durable option in this offense as a Day 2 need at all. Quite the contrary, I viewed the Rams need for running back depth as a late Day 3 or UDFA need, to be honest. Clearly, the Rams had other ideas.

Was this an irresistible opportunity, or a hidden need, that prompted the team to select the former Michigan Wolverines' bell cow running back to the roster? You could make the argument that the Rams were rightfully seeking a second option to handle the workload in 2024, an alternative running back that shared a similar style but who could rough-and-tough it out

The Rams are not, as I so oftenly advocate, looking for a bigger running back who doles out the punishment with each run of the football. Whether it has been RBs C.J. Anderson, Malcolm Brown, Sony Mitchell, or even Royce Freeman, no matter what the production, the team has shown no interest in an extension. That was particularly surprising with Sony Mitchell, a runner who the team traded multiple picks for, despite rumors that he was destined to be cut by the New England Patriots.

Even after putting up 845 yards and four touchdowns in just seven starts in 2021, the Rams failed to offer him a contract extension. So what is there about rookie RB Blake Corum that could give him an edge now?