Cody Schrader should be in the Heisman Conversation

Cody Schrader’s Heisman Trophy odds were non-existent heading into the 2023 college football season. The division II Missouri transfer from Truman State University is still not even on the board as far as Heisman odds go, despite leading the SEC in rushing with 1,272 yards and 12 touchdowns through 11 games. Schrader’s numbers are also the sixth highest in the nation as far as rushing yards go.

During his time at Truman State, Schrader racked up several accolades including leading all of NCAA division II in rushing with 2,074 rushing yards with 24 touchdowns.

So why didn’t we see this coming? Why did Schrader all of the sudden pop on the scene at Missouri during his final year of eligibility and not get a chance as a freshman in division one?

The answer could be in his size. Schrader is listed at only 5 foot nine inches and 214 pounds. This led to zero division one scholarship offers to a back that can be somewhat compared stature-wise to Kansas State’s Deuce Vaughn who burst on the scene in 2022 for the Wildcats. Vaughn, who only had six scholarship offers out of high school himself, came in at 5 foot 6 inches and rushed for 1,558 yards and nine touchdowns last season for the Wildcats before being drafted into the NFL in 2022 by the Dallas Cowboys.

In numbers, size and recruiting prestige, Schrader seems to be taking the same underdog mentality approach. Although not by choice for either Schrader or Vaughn, it seems to have paid off for Vaughn, and currently be paying off for Schrader. After the game against the Tennessee Volunteers, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Schrader, “he’s done more for this team than anybody else.”

Cody Schrader should be in the Heisman conversation

Between the running of Schrader and quarterback play of Brady Cook, the Tigers have been the story of the year in the SEC with a record of 9-2, which began with their head coach squarely on the hot seat as the Tigers’ best record in the previous three seasons was 6-7.

Will the story continue to get better? Will Schrader end up in New York City as a Heisman finalist at the end of the year? With Schrader outside of the top 15 on many Heisman odds boards, chances are highly unlikely with only one week to play for Missouri as they take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. Schrader’s performances though do raise a question mark as to the validity of the Heisman trophy and whether or not the best players are truly the ones being represented in New York City as finalists.