Former Michigan star takes bold stand on whether NIL is ruining college athletics

The Name, Image and Likeness era in college football has its fair share of critics, but some are appreciative of the benefits in those opportunties as millions of dollars are distributed to student athletes.

There is a subset of fans that are wary about the NIL landscape changing the game they love. The flip side, though, is the propping up of players, which can build generational wealth while earning their degrees before even stepping foot on a professional field or entering the workforce.

Former Michigan star running back Blake Corum aligns on the positive side of NIL dealings after helping lead the Wolverines to the 2023 national championship and becoming a third-round NFL Draft pick.

Corum, now a Los Angeles Ram, spoke against the critics who believe that NIL is "the scourge of college athletics" during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show."

“I would say they're completely wrong," Corum said. "NIL has helped me in many ways, right? I had six rental properties before I left college. I have 12 now. but also it's helped me help others, giving back to the community. And so if you look at a lot of athletes across college sports, a lot of them are giving back and doing the right things with their money, investing their money and setting themselves up, you know, for the rest of their lives, you know, making these investments. And so I think it's a wonderful thing.”

Corum took home Big Ten MVP and unanimous All-America honors as a senior in 2023, breaking Michigan's all-time mark for single-season rushing touchdowns (27) and career rushing touchdowns (58) during a 15-0 run by the Wolverines.

Most can agree that players deserve to be financially rewarded for their play. However, It's likely the lack of guardrails and transfer portal tampering that have some concerned for the sustainability for the most popular college sport.

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