Pros, cons as San Francisco 49ers sign Missouri football great Cody Schrader as undrafted free agent
Cody Schrader did not hear his name called in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Mind you, he's never had much of a problem with being overlooked before.
Schrader, the star Missouri running back and one of the most storied players in recent college football memory, is getting his chance in the league. The San Francisco 49ers signed the tailback as an undrafted free agent moments after the final pick of the draft was made Saturday in Detroit, per a report from Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report
Six of Schrader's teammates heard their names called in Detroit: Defensive end Darius Robinson (Arizona Cardinals, No. 27); cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Detroit Lions, No. 61); linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper (Green Bay Packers, No. 91); offensive tackle Javon Foster (Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 114); cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (Denver Broncos, No. 147); and safety Jaylon Carlies (Indianapolis Colts, No. 151) all are off to the league.
Schrader is taking a different route, but what's new there? He was under-recruited out of Lutheran South High in St. Louis, before eventually signing for Division-II Truman State. One transfer, a walk-on spot and a couple seasons later, and he was a Heisman Trophy candidate.
The Lutheran South High (Mo.) grad spent the past two seasons with the Tigers, breaking their single-season rushing record and helping the team to an 11-2 season in 2023, which culminated in a Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State.
But that’s only a fraction of Schrader’s incredible tale.
Here's what Cody Schrader brings to the 49ers, based on his career with Missouri:
More: How 'Superman' Cody Schrader vaulted himself into Heisman contention, MU record books
What Missouri football’s Cody Schrader brings to the San Francisco 49ers
Three years ago, Cody Schrader was playing college football at Division-II Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri. Two years ago, he had just finished his first spring camp at Missouri after transferring and walking on to the team.
Now, he’s heading to the NFL, following a season where he broke Missouri’s single-season rushing record and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.
So, here’s what Cody Schrader brings to 49ers: A work ethic, tenacity and never-say-die attitude unlike many others.
He had blood pumped from his quad after playing through a game with an injury at one point last season. A now-famous photo from Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz shows Schrader in Mizzou’s Memorial Stadium after dark, by himself, running through drills on the field because he had to miss practice that day due to attending … his own graduation.
Schrader has six years of college football under his belt. He’s produced at every level, from high school to D-II to the SEC. There’s a pretty clear reason why, and San Francisco fans likely won’t have to wait long to hear the stories.
More: Fairytale of Cody Schrader: Mizzou running back ends storied career with storybook ending
Cody Schrader’s highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Missouri
He beat Tennessee up inside-zone; he beat Tennessee up off-tackle; he beat Tennessee up on designed catches and scramble drills and wheel routes and anything-you-can-think-of.
Cody Schrader hammered Tennessee for 205 rushing yards and a touchdown on 35 carries, and added 116 receiving yards for good measure, for Missouri’s third-best all-purpose game of all time (321 yards from scrimmage), including punt and kick returners, which Schrader did not do, as the Tigers trounced the Vols, 36-7.
He’s an excellent zone runner, which bodes well for San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan's system. He’s quick off the mark, is good after contact and has that invaluable tailback asset of being able to fall forward. Sustained speed can be an issue — he's quicker than he is fast — but that never truly harmed him in college.
If there’s a weakness, it’s a common one for his position. He’s got some wear and tear. He’s played six seasons of college football and most of them as his team’s workhorse. Schrader has a lot of carries and a lot of hits logged.
But all of his coaches and teammates say the same: He's tough. It's what got him from Division-II to the league.
More: Missouri's Cody Schrader shows excellence is no accident, from Truman State to SEC | Toppmeyer
Cody Schrader’s stats with Missouri
In nine of Schrader’s 13 appearances last season, he ran for more than 100 yards. He set a Mizzou single-season record with 1,627 rushing yards. He scored in 10 straight games to close the season — including the go-ahead score in the Cotton Bowl — and finished the year with 14 trips to the end zone.
Schrader made 26 total appearances for MU, running for 2,347 yards and 23 touchdowns.
More: Schrader, Rakestraw discuss NFL Draft process, return for Missouri football’s Pro Day
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 49ers sign Missouri football great Cody Schrader to UDFA contract. Pros, cons of deal
