On the heels of a breakout junior season at Michigan, running back Blake Corum has landed a landmark NIL deal this week with an apparel company co-owned by one of his heroes, Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Corum, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, was introduced on Thursday as the first student-athlete ambassador for Greatness Wins, a brand co-founded by Jeter and Untuckit’s Chris Riccobono in the summer of 2022. The NIL deal is Corum’s first since announcing in late February that he would return for his senior season, three months after he suffered a knee injury that ended his junior campaign after 12 games.
“After wearing the number 2 for my whole life because of Derek Jeter, it feels surreal to be working alongside him and the Greatness Wins team in this new chapter, as I head into my last season of college football,” Corum said in a statement.
Jeter, who retired in 2014 after 20 legendary years with the Yankees, also weighed in on Corum’s addition to the brand, and praised the 22-year-old’s skill set and intangibles.
“Blake’s talent, work ethic, resiliency and integrity make him an exceptional athlete and great teammate,” Jeter said in a statement. “At Greatness Wins, we talk about greatness being a mentality, and that’s a spirit that Corum shares. We’re really looking forward to working with him and watching what he’s able to continue to accomplish.”
Join us in welcoming the one and only @blake_corum , the All-American Michigan Wolverines Running Back, to the Greatness Wins family!
— Greatness Wins (@greatnesswins) April 14, 2023
We couldn't be more thrilled to partner with such a talented athlete who embodies our core values both on and off the field. #greatness. pic.twitter.com/3pmSEaUTO1
As Corum gears up for his comeback season, the Wolverines standout will look to continue building his impressive résumé both on and off the field as the program approaches the ’23 campaign.
In his 12 appearances in 2022, Corum rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns en route to becoming Michigan’s first unanimous All-American running back since 1947.
