Cody Schrader

The No. 1 dominant college career dominator rating in the class belongs to Missouri's Cody Schrader at 30%, albeit some came against weak competition playing at Truman State before he transferred to Missouri. In his last year at Truman State, he rushed for over 2,000 yards and compiled a 49% dominator rating. Absurd.

That's the obvious knock on Schrader as we project him to take a substantial leap in competition at the professional level.

Even so, the 5-foot-9 and 202-pound RB was still super productive in his two years at Missouri with a jump in competition after making the team as a walk-on.

Posted a 22% dominator rating in 2022, followed by a 30% dominator rating this past season, with 14 TDs and over 1,600 yards rushing (third in the FBS).

I like the fact that Schrader has already shown the ability to deliver against tougher competition in the SEC - a trait that will make it easier for him to transition to the pros. Reminds me a lot of a few other super late-drafted players who made an impact as rookies such as Jaylen Warren and James Robinson.

My only concern is that his average yards per play is low (2.1), although it does not include his snaps from Truman State. And his athletic profile leaves some to be desired, given a 4.61 40-yard dash is well below average and will hurt him in the pros. He hurt his hamstring during testing and measured in smaller than his listed weight in college.

But a three-down skill set - 111 career receptions - makes Schrader a player primed to deliver if ever called upon. The 49ers signed Schrader as UDFA.

Schrader's vision allows him to be scheme versatile. He quickly diagnoses lanes with inside zone runs and is adept at operating on stretch zone plays. Schrader's lateral agility is underrated, which also plays into his prowess for outside zone. His burst is only adequate at best, though, which could limit his ability in the pros. To operate in the outside zone in the NFL, he'll need a very good offensive line, but he could have success with inside zone thanks to his vision and his tendency to get downhill immediately on those plays. Schrader compensates for lacking special burst by maximizing each run, thanks to his vision. He has average burst and speed at the collegiate level, but Schrader will have issues in the NFL. Schrader has a mild second gear, but he lacks "shot out of a cannon" or "run away from you speed" which leads to plenty of runs where he's caught from behind. This will only be more exacerbated against NFL talent. He's very dependent upon his offensive line. He'll get what's blocked but not a ton after that, and he cannot create a ton of yards for himself. While not an imposing tackle breaker, Schrader can shed arm tackles or defenders that come at him high. He does so with adequate to good leg drive. Schrader will flash the occasional spin move when a defender hits him high or a stiff arm, but neither are go-to weapons in his tackle-breaking arsenal. There are plenty of reps where defenders square him up, though, and blow him out of his cleats. Schrader has soft hands and displays some skills as a receiver. This is the untapped area of his game that could be expanded upon in the NFL. He wasn't utilized creatively in college, with only check-downs and the occasional wheel route, but he has the foot skills to believe that he could possibly develop into a receiving weapon in the NFL. His pass protection abilities or struggles in this area could limit his usage on passing downs, though. Schrader has plenty of reps on tape where he squares up defenders and gets blown back. He is also not a max-effort guy with some reps where he merely attempts to chip a defender, which does nothing to impede the rusher's path to the quarterback. Schrader should find a home on an NFL roster/practice squad as a dependable player who will get every blade of grass that's blocked for him. His vision and solid overall game make him a dependable guy that coaches will love. Dynasty Outlook: Schrader signed a UDFA contract with the 49ers. He'll attempt to work his way up a crowded running back depth chart. If your rookie draft extends to five rounds, Schrader could be in consideration, but he'll be a waiver wire pickup/taxi squad stash in most formats. Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason are free agents after this season, so as early as 2025, Schrader could be competing with Isaac Guerendo for the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey.