At this time, we’re going to spotlight two late second-round Dynasty rookie prospects, Jaylen Wright and Blake Corum. I’ve seen questions regarding which of these players should be drafted higher within this year’s rookie class, and I wanted to take a deep dive into each prospect. The question everyone wants to know when it comes to Dynasty rookie drafts is: Do I draft Jaylen Wright or Blake Corum first?
* Within this article, the statistics were pulled from Sports Reference.
Jaylen Wright
In 34 career college games as a Tennessee Volunteer, the explosive Wright totaled 2,297 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, but his junior year in 2023 was his strongest season. He had 1,013 rushing yards with four touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. He also showed off his receiving skills with 141 yards on 22 catches for a 6.4 yards per catch average, showcasing flashes of his receiving capabilities this past year. His superb play in 2023 helped earn him All-SEC Second Team honors, and throughout his collegiate career, he showed his breakaway speed and strength, most notably on the first play of the game against number one Georgia in 2023 when he scored on a 75-yard run.
During his time at Tennessee, Wright proved that he’s a lethal one-cut runner who can be a true dual-threat three-down running back with the capability to help carry an offense. He fell into an interesting landing spot where he could see great value in the long term, but his immediate future with the Miami Dolphins doesn’t project to be overly productive. At first, he’ll be behind Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, who will form a 1-2 punch together. Mostert is 32, with a history of knee injuries, and the young speedster Achane has flashed but also battled injuries in his rookie year in 2023 and might not be the answer long-term as a starter due to his smaller stature. That’s where long-term Wright fits more of that prototypical number one running back size at 5’11” and 210 pounds over Achane, who is only 5′ 9″ and 188 pounds.
When the opportunity comes, I believe Wright will be the long-term number-one back with the Dolphins, and he could be near that top tier of Dynasty running backs within a high-powered Dolphins offense that operates a run-heavy scheme in Mike McDaniel’s offense. However, for the time being, his Dynasty impact will be limited, and you might have to wait a year for him to see playing time, as he’ll most likely enter the year third on the depth chart. However, once Wright gets his opportunity, for one reason or another, he’ll have a chance to reward Dynasty managers for their patience.
Blake Corum
Corum spent all four seasons of his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, where he was very productive, especially during his last two seasons. In his junior year in 2022, he rushed for 1,463 yards with 18 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and adding 11 receptions for 80 yards with one touchdown on 7.3 yards per catch. Then, in his most impressive season as a senior, he rushed for 1,245 yards with 27 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Corum also added 16 receptions for 117 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per catch. His 27 rushing touchdowns led the entire nation after he missed the end of the 2022 season with a torn meniscus. He’s a two-time All-American and a two-time Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year.
Corum isn’t the fastest guy on the field, but he’s shown production that, without a doubt, catches your attention as a complete three-down running back who’s also a solid pass-blocker. He fell into a landing spot with the Los Angeles Rams, which is not ideal long- or short-term because of the presence of Kyren Williams, a young number-one running back Corum may have difficulty overtaking. It’s not a guarantee, but one factor to consider is the Rams backfield under Sean McVay, which always seems to be changing depending on the hot hand, which is where Corum can come into the picture. Kyren Williams also missed four games last season, and it was recently noted that he was dealing with a foot injury that forced him to miss offseason workouts. Willaims has plenty of time to get healthy for the regular season, but his current history of injuries and poor pass blocking, where Corum is better, makes this more of an interesting backfield. Corum can be a productive starter if given a chance with the Rams, but it depends on factors that are currently limiting his Dynasty value. If Corum gets his opportunity, he can produce and make it a difficult decision on who will be the long-term starter.
In Conclusion
Jaylen Wright and Blake Corum are intriguing late-round two Dynasty prospects that offer more long-term benefits for a patient or contending manager who doesn’t need either to be starters immediately. A case can be made for either to be taken first. However, I slightly prefer Jaylen Wright as I believe he’s the more talented and better overall prospect. Corum does offer a more immediate upside as the handcuff to Kyren Williams. However, both of these players have a longer-term outlook, and with that, I prefer Wright, who could find himself in the starting role next season on a very productive running team.
In addition, Wright’s 4.39 speed gives him the big-play upside of both Achane and Mostert but with a slightly more ideal frame to handle the bigger workload throughout the long season. Once Mostert is no longer on the Dolphins, I expect that Wright will be the number one running back, forming the new 1-2 punch with Achane. So, long-term, I slightly favor Jaylen Wright in Miami’s run-heavy scheme. Although he’s a little more boom or bust than Corum, Wright has the higher upside, and as a late second-round pick, that is something I prefer, and it won me over with this decision. Invest in him with a late second-round selection in your Dynasty rookie drafts for a potential future top running back who looks poised to have an opportunity to help one day lead one of the highest-scoring and exciting offenses in the NFL.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you gained some valuable information. If you have any questions or you’d like additional insight and analysis, please follow me on Twitter/X at @MonicasHubby. #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
