Top 25 Offensive & Defensive Players of Madden 13 #10-8
The official release of Madden 25 is merely days away, let’s finally dive right into the top 10.
For insight on my assessment criteria/explanation in regards to the creation of the list, click here.
Here’s what the top 25 looks like up to this point:
Offense
25. Vernon Davis
24. Devin Hester
23. Julio Jones
22. DeSean Jackson
21. Dez Bryant
20. LeSean McCoy
19. Marshawn Lynch
18. Brandon Marshall
17. Jamaal Charles
16. Michael Vick
15. A.J. Green
14. Russell Wilson
13. Andre Johnson
12. Jimmy Graham
11. Rob Gronkowski
Defense
25. Sean Lee
24. Ray Lewis
23. Thomas Howard
22. Johnathan Joseph
21. Ndamukong Suh
20. Geno Atkins
19. Brian Orakpo
18. Bruce Irvin
17. Aldon Smith
16. Jason Pierre-Paul
15. Brandon Browner
14. Von Miller
13. Troy Polamalu
12. Haloti Ngata
11. NaVorro Bowman
Offense
10. QB – Peyton Manning (6’5 230)
Key Ratings: 89 THP/97 SAC/93 MAC/85 DAC/97 PAC
Peyton’s neck wasn’t quite the media hype in Madden 13, so thankfully fans could simply just take control of the Broncos and sling it down the field without having to worry about injury risks. Even without the rocket laser arm we’ve been accustomed to, Manning still has the tools to dissect an offense at will. With arguably the best Madden weapon he’s had in Demaryius Thomas since his Harrison-Wayne days, Manning was a pain to deal with as usual.
9. QB – Colin Kaepernick (6’4 230)
Key Ratings: 88 SPD/92 ACC/96 THP/86 MAC/85 DAC
Regardless of his actual abilities, Colin Kaepernick is the quarterback of the best team in Madden 13, and that helps him get into our top 10. Not only is he just the quarterback, he’s a very dangerous one as well. Capable of making every throw you need to make, as well as being one of the quickest signal callers, and you’ve got a hell game every time. His surrounding weapons mean you can’t just focus on him as well.
8. HB – Chris Johnson (5’11, 191)
Key Ratings: 99 SPD/96 AGI/98 ACC/92 JKM/86 CAR
Mr. CJ2K is long removed from the days he was considered the absolute elite NFL and fantasy RB. But in the world of Madden, Johnson still ranks in the upper echelon of ball carriers. Every time he gets the ball in his hands, the possibility of a big play is very real. Like Charles, you always have to be prepared to over-pursue in fear of CJ shifting into his next gear. He truly epitomizes what it means to have video game qualities in real life, and it shows in Madden.
Defense
10. DT – Vince Wilfork (6’2 325)
Key Ratings: 96 STR/97 AWR/97 TAK/98 BSH/97 PRC
When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, bench the immovable object and sub in Vince Wilfork, because he’ll do a better job. The Patriots defense in Madden 13 was a sneaky good one, simply because of the power they had in their front 7. This group was led by Wilfork, who the EA developers may have created a unique player build for. He always looked like the biggest guy on the field, and without proper double team animations in the game, Wilfork always caused havoc on both run and pass plays.
9. CB – Champ Bailey (6’0 192)
Key Ratings: 93 SPD/98 AWR/98 PRC/93 MCV/89 ZCV
It seems like it’s been forever that Champ Bailey has been pestering #1 wideouts in Madden (remember that Dre Bly combination?). And in last year’s instalment, the Champ picked up right where he left of. Bailey may not have the high end cover rating skills, but his speed and specifically his awareness ratings are what keeps him among the Madden elite. More often than not, Bailey will be where he exactly needs to be. And if he’s not, he’ll be close, and a player’s user skills should take care of the rest.
8. OLB – Clay Matthews (6’3 255)
Key Ratings: 86 SPD/94 ACC/90 TAK/95 POW/98 PMV
Matthew’s long golden locks may never truly be replicated in Madden the way it should be, but they sure got his football talents right. Matthews represents the perfect mixture of size, power, and speed when it comes to a Madden defensive player. Throw him onto the 49ers defensive squad, and he’d fit right in. Matthews is best utilized when he’s positioned all over the field, as he’s one of the more versatile defensive players in the game.
Make sure to check out the next part of the top 10 tomorrow here at Gamesided.
Note: Kristian Cuaresma began playing Madden in 2004 when introduced to the game by a circle of friends who had their own league. He then started playing competitively in 2006, and has since competed in several tournaments (both in Canada and the US) as well as various online competitions. Highlights including finishing top 16 in Canadian Madden Challenge, as well as finishing top 32 in the 2009 MLG Online Madden Challenge.