Cody Schrader now a player to watch amid 49ers' growing list of injuries

Undrafted running back Cody Schrader has an excellent opportunity ahead of him with injuries piling up on the depth chart.

Undrafted free agents always face an extreme uphill challenge when it comes to making a team's 53-man roster in year one.

Opportunities are limited in training camp, there are usually well-established veterans ahead of them on the depth chart, and most UDFAs are seen as long shots anyway who merely help round out the roster during the preseason.

However, undrafted rookie Cody Schrader might be the name to watch for the San Francisco 49ers this preseason.

The 5-foot-8, 202-pound rusher who played his college ball at Missouri, could have been drafted. But, as Nicholas McGee at AtoZ Sports pointed out, it appears all 32 teams simply failed to draft him.

Cody Schrader collegiate stats

Schrader does have good burst and is tough. And, by most accounts, he's been making the most out of his limited camp opportunities.

Plus, with a three-year contract worth up to $2.84 million, $232,000 of which is fully guaranteed, there's a good chance the Niners have every intent to give the rookie a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster.

And he'll have plenty of opportunities this preseason.

Injuries opening up the door for Cody Schrader to thrive in preseason

San Francisco is already banged up at running back with its first preseason game just around the corner, scheduled against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, Aug. 10.

All-Pro Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a calf injury, and head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters the reigning Offensive Player of the Year is doubtful to play in exhibition games. Likewise, fellow tailbacks Elijah Mitchell and rookie Isaac Guerendo have hamstring injuries, which will probably limit or eliminate their exposure.

That leaves Schrader, third-year pro Jordan Mason, offseason free-agent pickup Patrick Taylor Jr. and the recently signed Matt Breida to shoulder the bulk of the workload on the ground.

And it's likely the 49ers will want to see just how much of an impact Schrader could have at the pro level.

If he succeeds, it wouldn't be shocking at all to see Schrader emerge as a legitimate candidate for the back end of the Niners' regular-season running back depth chart.

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