Starting in July, EA Sports will be releasing the player ratings for Madden 16. EA Sports normally releases rankings for the top five players at each position, starting at quarterbacks and finishing with specialists (punters and place kickers). In honor of NFL Network’s Top 100 Players in the NFL series—and not because I am going through football withdrawals—I decided to make predictions for the top five players at each position, according to Madden.
Now, the Madden rankings include every position—except for long snappers—but EA Sports employs professionals who spend the majority of time watching film and ranking players. I’m not a scout, so I have no idea which offensive linemen are best. Therefore, I will skip those predictions and simply focus on players that I can realistically judge.
Okay, now that I have come clean about my lack of scouting skill, it’s time for the rankings. Come along for the ride and laugh at my predictions as I finish this three-part series.
Outside Linebackers:
- Justin Houston – 97
- Von Miller – 96
- Terrell Suggs – 94
- Deandre Levy – 92
- Khalil Mack – 89
Khalil Mack burst onto the scene as a rookie and became the lone bright spot on the Raiders defense. Mack consistently got to the quarterback and notched 40 QB hurries, 10 QB hits, and four sacks. Mack can only get better as the Raiders sign more defensive players, and he should become one of the best linebackers in the NFL. DeAndre Levy is one of the more underrated linebackers in the NFL, but he has been steadily gaining steam. Levy is a tackling machine in run defense, but he can also get after the QB and defend passes. Terrell Suggs—or T-Sizzle to everyone else—is one of the most talented and entertaining players in the NFL. Sizzle brings entertainment with his on-field antics and the big plays with his QB sacks and between the knee interceptions. Suggs will turn 33 this season, but he shows no signs of slowing down.
Von Miller is a very talented pass rusher who has compiled 49 sacks in his four-year career. Miller is nearly unblockable when rushing the QB, but he has a tendency to have off-the-field issues. When Miller is healthy and on the active roster, he is a force to be reckoned with. In fact, the Broncos defense simply isn’t the same when Miller isn’t on the field. Justin Houston nearly broke the single season sack record (22.5) in 2014, finishing with 22 sacks. This dominant season served as further proof that Houston is only getting better as his career progresses. Houston has upped his sack total each season since the Chiefs drafted him in 2011, and he showcased his talent by increasing his number of sacks from 10 in 2012 to 11 in 2013. This one-sack increase doesn’t seem that impressive until you consider the fact that Houston played in only 11 games during 2013 after playing a full 16 in 2012.
Inside Linebackers:
- Luke Kuechly – 99
- Bobby Wagner – 97
- Clay Matthews – 95
- C.J. Mosley – 93
- Navorro Bowman – 93
During the first four years of Navorro Bowman’s career, he was the ridiculously talented sidekick to fellow linebacker Patrick Willis, compiling almost 400 tackles and nine sacks. Actually, Bowman is more of the Nightwing in this equation now that Willis is retired, and he has to take over as the head linebacker in a depleted corps. Bowman may be coming off of a horrific injury during the 2013 playoffs, but he should be healthy and ready to play. The Ravens drafted C.J. Mosley in 2014 to serve as Ray Lewis’ replacement, but no one expected his impressive rookie year. Mosley finished his rookie season with 133 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions. Mosley even finished second in the defensive rookie of the year votes. Now, Mosley heads into his second season ready to solidify his status as one of the NFL’s best inside linebackers, but will he keep improving?
Clay Matthews may be listed as an outside linebacker on multiple web sites, but he is actually moving to inside linebacker full time after spending part of 2014 at this position. Matthews was a better player at inside linebacker, and he was able to use this switch as a method for improving the Packers run defense. Matthews will be scary good now that he actually understands how to play inside linebacker. Matthews was still learning the position during 2014, yet he finished the season with 11 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception.
Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly are two of the absolute best inside linebackers in the NFL. Both players have been in the league for three years, but only Kuechly has started every game during his career. Wagner has missed multiple games each season, but he still finished with more than 100 combined tackles in each season. Kuechly rates higher based on his consistency, impressive stats—473 combined tackles in three years—and his ability to cover the entire field.
Safety:
- Earl Thomas – 99
- Eric Weddle – 96
- Devin McCourty – 94
- Kam Chancellor – 93
- Harrison Smith – 90
Entering his fourth season, Harrison Smith is finally starting to get some attention. The 6’2” safety out of Notre Dame has been the best player in the Vikings secondary for the last three seasons, collecting 254 combined tackles and two forced fumbles. More importantly, Smith has 10 interceptions during these three years, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Kam Chancellor may not have the interception statistics like other defensive backs, but he is known as an entirely different type of player. Chancellor is the “enforcer” who breaks up passes and forces fumbles with his physical hits. Of course, Chancellor can make a key interception when needed, much like he did in the divisional playoffs against Carolina. Devin McCourty has proven his reliability during five years with the Patriots, and the team rewarded McCourty with a new five-year, $47.5 million contract. McCourty has helped limit star receivers like T.Y. Hilton to barely any yardage during major games.
Eric Weddle is entering his ninth year in the NFL, and he has only gotten better with age. Weddle has only missed four games during his career, and he has averaged 96.5 combined tackles per season. Weddle makes impressive plays, including a one-handed interception that unfortunately didn’t count because of a teammate’s penalty. Plus, Weddle has the best beard in the business. Earl Thomas isn’t as well known as Richard Sherman or some of his other teammates, but Thomas is the best player on the Seahawks defense. Thomas just flies around the field making plays. During his career, Thomas has been responsible for regular season victories against multiple opponents, including a two-interception game against the Chargers.
Overall Teams:
- Seattle Seahawks
- Green Bay Packers – 89
- New England Patriots – 88
- Indianapolis Colts – 86
- Dallas Cowboys – 86
Technically, the Patriots just won the Super Bowl, but this victory came with many losses. Bellichick and Co. released almost every cornerback on the roster, including stars in Darrelle Revis and Kyle Arrington. These losses—and many others—result in a drop in rankings. The Cowboys were one questionable call away from going to the NFC Championship game, and the team boasts the best offensive line in football and some impressive skill players. Of course, the lost of DeMarco Murray is an issue, and Darren McFadden doesn’t inspire confidence. The Colts have gotten better each season since drafting Andrew Luck, and the additions of Andre Johnson and Frank Gore are a positive sign. However, the Colts need to step up on defense when the Patriots come on the schedule for fear of never winning a Super Bowl.
The Packers consistently give the Seahawks a run when it comes to determining the best team in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers leads the best offense in football, and the defense is only getting better. The Seahawks hold the top spot after going to back-to-back Super Bowls and winning one. Russell Wilson is a dynamic, young quarterback, and he now has an added weapon in Jimmy Graham. The Seahawks defense is immensely talented, but head coach Pete Carroll has to hope that both Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas come back quickly from offseason injuries. The Seahawks will hold onto Madden 16’s top ranking until another team can take them down.
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