ST. LOUIS – One of college football’s rising stars last year could suit up for the St. Louis Battlehawks next spring.

The Battlehawks selected running back Cody Schrader with their second pick of the 2024 UFL College Draft on Wednesday.

Schrader emerged as a fan-favorite on Mizzou’s Cotton Bowl-winning squad last season. He led the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards (1,627) and nearly led in rushing touchdowns (14) over 13 games last season. He finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting last year, which honors college football’s top player each season.

Schrader, a high school standout with Lutheran South in St. Louis, battled through adversity early in his college career, unable to secure a Division I scholarship before he played with Truman State and joining Mizzou as a walk-on nearly two years ago.

Last year’s breakout season helped Schrader earn a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers, though he went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft.

So what exactly does the Battlehawks selection mean for his future in football?

Training camp began this week for rookies, including Schrader, within the 49ers organization. He is currently auditioning for a spot on the NFL roster on an undrafted free agent deal. Eventually, the 49ers will need to cut their entire training camp pool down to 53 players for the regular season.

If Schrader does not make the 49ers roster past the final cut, he would become eligible to play in the United Football League.

With the Battlehawks selecting Schrader, since he was not drafted by an NFL team, this decision essentially means that St. Louis will have the rights to roster him if he chooses to participate in the next spring football season.

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The Battlehawks explained the situation as such in a news release: “The Battlehawks will hold exclusive rights to these players until the player reports to the team or the team gives up that player’s rights. All players who sign a UFL contract, including players who remain under contract from the 2024 season, will have an “NFL Out” during the NFL season.”

In addition to Schrader, the Battlehawks acquired the right to nine other players on Wednesday. Their first pick was quarterback Chevan Cordeiro out of San Jose State, recognized as part of the All-Mountain West First Team last year.

Other picks included the following:

• Pheldarius Payne, DE Virginia Tech
• Bradley Ashmore, T Vanderbilt
• Carl Jones Jr., OLB UCLA
• Isaiah Coe, DT Oklahoma
• Jelani Baker, WR Limestone
• Jadon Janke, WR South Dakota State
• Myles Sims, CB Georgia Tech
• Myles Jones, CB Duke

The Battlehawks will return for their fourth spring football season in six years in 2025. Additional considerations for next year’s UFL season, including the schedule, will be announced at a later time.

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