2 of Madden 21’s best players are from the Charlotte area. Where all local players rank
Two of the best players in Madden 21 — and one of the six with a coveted 99 rating — are from the Charlotte area.
Madden 21, the annual NFL simulation video game from EA Sports, hit store shelves Tuesday and we picked up a copy to see how players from the Charlotte area (York County, included) stack up. Cornerbacks from our area rate particularly high.
Here’s a look at this year’s Madden rating of every NFL player from the Charlotte area. Note that these ratings are from the in-game rosters on Aug. 26.
Was there someone we missed? Send a note to mstephens@charlotteobserver.com and we’ll add them.
Stephon Gilmore: 99
▪ High school: South Pointe (Rock Hill)
▪ NFL team: Patriots
▪ Position: CB
▪ Notable: He’s the best cornerback in the game with a 99 rating. Only five other cornerbacks in the NFL are rated in the 90s, with the next highest being the Rams’ Jalen Ramsey at 94.
Jaire Alexander: 90
▪ High school: Rocky River
▪ NFL team: Packers
▪ Position: CB
▪ Notable: He’s the sixth-best cornerback in the game and is faster (93 speed rating) than Gilmore (92). The only cornerback with a better change-of-direction rating than Alexander’s 97 is Avonte Maddox of the Eagles (98).
Jonathan Joseph: 81
▪ High school: Northwestern (Rock Hill)
▪ NFL team: Titans
▪ Position: CB
▪ Notable: Tennessee’s No. 2 cornerback, Joseph’s best attributes in game are his stamina (96), speed (89) and acceleration (89).
Jamison Crowder: 80
▪ High school: Monroe
▪ NFL team: Jets
▪ Position: WR
▪ Notable: He’s the Jets’ best wide receiver in the game. The former Duke standout change-of-direction skill (93) and agility (95).
Cordarrelle Patterson: 79
▪ High school: Northwestern (Rock Hill)
▪ NFL team: Bears
▪ Position: HB
▪ Notable: His in-game position is running back, but he’s more of a specialist. (How many running backs do you see wearing No. 84?) With speed, agility and acceleration ratings in the 90s, Patterson is a dangerous return man. His return rating is 98 — the best in Madden 21.
D.J. Humphries: 73
▪ High school: Mallard Creek
▪ NFL team: Cardinals
▪ Position: LT
▪ Notable: He’s Arizona’s best left tackle with a good burst (acceleration of 76, speed 67) for run blocking (82) but struggles in pass protection (69).
Daniel Jones: 72
▪ High school: Charlotte Latin
▪ NFL team: Giants
▪ Position: QB
▪ Notable: Former Duke star and top-10 draft pick is one of the faster quarterbacks in the game (speed rating of 84), and his accuracy on short throws (87) ranks ahead of Cam Newton (86).
Jaylen Samuels: 72
▪ High school: Mallard Creek
▪ NFL team: Steelers
▪ Position: RB
▪ Notable: Pittsburgh has seven halfbacks on its roster and Samuels ranks smack in the middle. In the game, his break-tackle ability is a pedestrian 72, but he’s the best route runner and pass catcher (catch rating of 72) the Steelers have in their backfield.
Jaleel Scott: 68
▪ High school: Rock Hill
▪ NFL team: Ravens
▪ Position: WR
▪ Notable: A reliable receiving target who has a “spectacular catch” rating of 85, making him a favorite for 50-50 balls. His deep-route-running rating, however, is a worrisome 69.
Walt Aikens: 65
▪ High school: Harding
▪ NFL team: Titans
▪ Position: SS
▪ Notable: As of Wednesday morning, Aikens is listed in game as a free agent, but he reportedly signed with the Titans this week. With speed and accelerations ratings of 88, he’s one of the faster players in the defensive backfield.
Anthony Johnson: 65
▪ High school: South Pointe (Rock Hill)
▪ NFL team: Steelers
▪ Position: WR
▪ Notable: He went to the rival high school of his backup quarterback, Mason Rudolph, who’s also on this list. On a roster that features Juju Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Diontae Johnson, this depth chart is tough to crack. The Steelers have 10 receivers on their roster in the game, and Johnson ranks ninth, just ahead of Saeed Blacknall (64 overall rating).
Will Grier: 63
▪ High school: Davidson Day
▪ Position: QB
▪ Notable: Entering his second season in the NFL with the Panthers, battling for the backup job behind Teddy Bridgewater. His most notable attribute in game is his lack of awareness, which at 57 (out of 100) ranks behind Cole McDonald, Mike White, DeShone Kizer and Rawson Thurber. If you’re not familiar with those quarterbacks, don’t worry, none of them are on NFL rosters at the moment.
Mason Rudolph: 63
▪ High school: Northwestern (Rock Hill)
▪ Position: QB
▪ Notable: Gaining meaningful starting experience in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger last year did nothing to impress the Madden gods. He’s entering his third NFL season.
Benny LeMay: 63
▪ High school: Butler (Matthews)
▪ NFL team: Browns
▪ Position: RB
▪ Notable: There are five running backs on the Browns’ depth chart in the game and LeMay ranks last. He’s an undrafted rookie who had an impressive career with the Charlotte 49ers. His “trucking” ability in the game is a relatively impressive 82.
Thaddeus Moss: 62
▪ High school: Mallard Creek
▪ NFL team: Washington
▪ Position: TE
▪ Notable: Moss was waived Friday as he deals with a lingering injury, but appears to still have a future with the Washington Football Team. He’s a speedier tight end (81 rating), but his in-game blocking skills are lacking (59 pass, 61 run).
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 4:19 PM.
