2024 Atlanta Falcons Potential Draft Pick Profile: RB Cody Schrader

Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are killing it at running back, but the Atlanta Falcons could look into Cody Schrader at running back to add depth behind them with a day-three pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Schrader played at a small school before transferring to Missouri and looking like a Heisman contender in the 2023 season. The Falcons adding Schrader to the mix could also help the kick return game for the long term as well.

Cody Schrader

University of Missouri

Running Back

Athletic Comparison and Numbers

Teams undervalued Devonta Freeman despite his great production for Florida State and his traits that all translated to the NFL. Cody Schrader is going through a similar thing because he has lower-than-expected testing numbers. He shows more athleticism on film than he did in his testing and has more breakaway potential than his numbers would suggest. The explosion, agility, and speed numbers aren't suggestive of a running back that's going to put up big numbers, but the position is about more than testing numbers.

Stats and Awards

2023: 13 Games Played, 276 Carries, 1,627 Yards, 14 Touchdowns, 22 Catches, 191 Yards, 1 Tackle, Burlsworth Trophy Winner, First-Team All-American, First-Team All-SEC, Doak Walker Award Finalist
2022: 13 Games Played, 170 Carries, 744 Yards, 9 Touchdowns, 19 Catches, 137 Yards, 1 Tackle
Transferred from Truman State to Missouri between the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
2021: 12 Games Played, 300 Carries, 2,074 Yards, 25 Touchdowns, 22 Catches, 214 Yards, 1 Touchdown, First-Team All-GLVC
2020: 4 Games Played, 83 Carries, 405 Yards, 7 Touchdowns, 8 Catches, 52 Yards, First-Team All-GLVC
2019: 12 Games Played, 96 Carries, 605 Yards, 7 Touchdowns, 30 Catches, 231 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 4 Kick Returns, 34 Yards, 4 Tackles, Second-Team All-GLVC
2018: Redshirted, Academic All-GLVC

Highlight Reel

Cody Schrader had 35 carries for 205 yards and 5 catches for 116 yards versus the Volunteers.

Scouting Report

Strengths

The two most important keys to success for a running back are contact balance and vision. Cody Schrader has those in spades. He's one of the most football-intelligent players at his position in this draft and uses his abilities to flow the defense one way and then cut back through the holes. He's got the kind of toughness to go heads up with a safety in the hole while both are coming full speed. He's also a really good blocking back who can pick up blitzers. As a receiver, the Missouri product is great at taking checkdown passes and turning them into explosives.

Weaknesses

Schrader's biggest weakness is that he has a Mighty Mouse running style where he needs more steps to get where he's going than other, better athletes do. He doesn't have a ton of power compared to his counterparts, and that will show up against the NFL defenses he'll face. He needs to focus more on finishing stronger and getting quicker in and out of his cuts both in the passing and running game. As a receiver, his catching is solid, but he doesn't do well if the ball is off-target.

Intangibles & Off-Field Red Flags

Cody Schrader was a captain his senior year in college, and he showed that he was a hard worker and had a never-quit attitude when he was at Missouri. He was clean off the field and never had any issues. He is someone that a team can rely on to keep the locker room together. Schrader is also someone that will do anything for his team from special teams to pass blocking and put in 110 percent effort. Teams will love him.

NFL Stylistic Comparison: Devonta Freeman

Devonta Freeman and Cody Schrader aren't just athletically similar. Both are fantastic zone running backs who understand how to attack gaps and are willing to stand in and make blocks. They're both guys that will do something with a checkdown pass and create explosives. The downside is that they're both very undersized for an NFL player and both are not exactly dynamic athletes. The timeline for a player like that causes them to be underdrafted.

How does he fit in with the Atlanta Falcons

If the Falcons were to draft Cody Schrader, it's likely going to be in the sixth round with one of their two sixth-round picks. Schrader would instantly upgrade the depth at running back and compete well with Carlos Washington, Robert Burns, and Avery Williams for playing time. His ideal situation is as a special teams player early who eventually gets some carries. Schrader may not be a star at running back in the pros, but he can be a solid, consistent depth piece.

All advanced stats are courtesy Pro Football Focus or Football Outsiders. All traditional stats are courtesy of official team websites, NFLGSIS or CFB Stats. All RAS and athletic testing numbers are courtesy of DraftScout.com and Kent Lee Platte's RAS Football website.