Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards top-10 returning running backs for the 2023 football season
College Football — or football in general — has turned into a passing league, but Michigan football has had a hard time turning into a modern team. Yeah, the Wolverines pass the ball, but the maize and blue love running the rock and they aren’t afraid to tell you that’s their identity.
Pro Football Focus ranked its top 10 returning running backs for the 2023 season. Of course, both Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards were in the top 10.
The Big Ten was well represented in the article. Corum was No. 1, Wisconsin‘s Braelon Allen was No. 5, Penn State‘s Nicholas Singleton was No. 7, Ohio State‘s Miyan Williams was No. 8, and Edwards was No. 9.
PFF also ranked J.J. McCarthy as a top-10 returning QB for the 2023 football season. You can read that below if you missed it.
Blake Corum
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Michigan’s best player announced his return for the 2023 season, and it was a massive, massive return. Blake Corum was arguably the best running back in all of football in 2022 and just may have been the most important player on any team last year.
Corum helped carry Michigan for most of the season. The Wolverines were able to win against Illinois (the game Corum got injured), Ohio State, and Purdue. But Corum’s absence in the CFP appeared to hinder the Michigan offense against TCU.
Corum finished the 2022 campaign rushing for 1,463 yards and 18 scores on the ground. As you can see below, he also finished the year with a 96.2 grade from PFF — the best ever. This is why PFF ranked Corum the best returner for 2023.
Corum was arguably the best running back in college football last season, making him an easy choice for No. 1 here. His 96.2 grade didn’t just lead all players in the country, it was the best PFF has ever seen from a Power Five player.
Corum’s 96 combined rushing first downs and touchdowns were the second most in the country, behind only Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim, who received 72 more carries. The junior should be on the shortlist of favorites to win the Heisman Trophy next season.
Donovan Edwards
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Donovan Edwards saw plenty of run his freshman season, but he was behind both Hassan Haskins and Corum. One year later, he was expected to become Michigan’s next one-two punch with Corum.
Injuries hindered Edwards for part of the year, but once Corum went down against Illinois, we all saw how special of a player Edwards was.
In the final three games of the season, where Edwards was the top dog, he ran for 520 yards combined and three touchdowns.
He finished the 2022 season rushing for 991 yards and seven scores on the ground. Edwards also had 200 yards receiving and two receiving scores.
Here is what PFF had to say about the No. 9 ranked returning running back.
Edwards was expected to become a breakout star in 2023 with Blake Corum seemingly entering the 2023 NFL Draft, but now that Corum is returning, Edwards continues to be the best No. 2 running back in the country.
The sophomore led all Power Five running backs this past season with 7.1 yards per carry. His 87.0 grade tied for fifth in that same group. When Corum went down with a knee injury late in the season, Edwards stepped up when it mattered most. Against Ohio State, Purduein the Big Ten championship game and TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal, he ran for a combined 520 yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry.
