CS #25

Cody Schrader

Running Back · Missouri

A Division II rushing champion turned Missouri walk-on legend who is still chasing a permanent NFL home.

Cody Schrader is a running back who has journeyed through several NFL practice squads and rosters since going undrafted in 2024, most recently landing with the Denver Broncos on a futures contract. His path from Division II transfer to SEC rushing record holder remains one of college football's most improbable underdog stories.

★ Burlsworth Trophy winner (2023)

★ Consensus All-American and First-team All-SEC (2023)

★ Led NCAA Division II in rushing yards (2021)

★ Set Missouri single-season rushing record (1,627 yards, 2023)

Path to the league

Schrader began his college career at Division II Truman State from 2018 to 2021, where in his final season he led all of Division II with 2,074 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry. He then transferred to Missouri as a walk-on, and by 2023 he had set the school's single-season rushing record with 1,627 yards, breaking Tyler Badie's mark, and became the first SEC player to post 200 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in a single game. He went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

Career highlights

Schrader's 2023 Missouri season earned him the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the nation's top player who began his career as a walk-on, along with consensus All-American and First-team All-SEC honors. He was also named GLVC Co-Offensive Player of the Year at Truman State in 2021. Since going undrafted, he has cycled through the 49ers, Rams, Jaguars and Texans organizations searching for a lasting roster spot.

2025 season recap

Schrader spent much of 2025 moving between practice squads across multiple teams before signing a futures contract with the Denver Broncos in January 2026. He has yet to see significant regular-season NFL game action, with his 2025 season defined more by the pursuit of a roster spot than by on-field production.