Written by: Tyler Deakin
Let’s be honest, this year’s EA Madden 22 cover featuring Tom Brady & Patrick Mahomes was underwhelming. It’s not that both players don’t deserve the honor, but the fact is that they’ve both already been on the cover in recent years. There were several other players who’ve never been on the cover before that deserved the honor instead. That’s going to be the focus behind today’s article, discussing these players & analyzing their value in the NFL world. Without further ado, here is my list of players who deserve to grace future EA Madden covers.
The Elite: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Derrick Henry, Aaron Donald
Isn’t it surprising that Aaron Rodgers has never been on the cover of Madden? I’m convinced that the 3X NFL MVP & Super Bowl XLV Champion would’ve been on the cover this year if he wasn’t involved in a holdout with the Packers. Russell Wilson enters his 10th season in the NFL & he’s never been on the Madden cover nor has he received a single MVP vote. His early career was overshadowed by the Seahawks Legion of Boom defense; however, he has developed into a superstar since then while carrying his team to the playoffs year after year. Derrick Henry has led the league in rushing the past 2 seasons & has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Aaron Donald has been a one-man wrecking crew while winning Defensive Player of the Year honors three times & helping his team secure their Super Bowl LII berth.
The Deserving: Julio Jones, Deandre Hopkins, JJ Watt, Ezekiel Elliott
Julio doesn’t score touchdowns & the Falcons haven’t been very good over the past few seasons; however, Jones has been amongst the elite receivers in the game over the past several years. He’s the kind of humble superstar who deserves to grace the cover of Madden. A similar case can be made for Deandre Hopkins, who has been successful despite changing quarterbacks seemingly every year. JJ Watt is the best kind of superstar to showcase on Madden, a gifted player who is also a humanitarian for the league. We’ll see if he rebounds while playing next to Chandler Jones in 2021. I’m surprised that Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t been on the cover of Madden yet, as he’s led the NFL in rushing twice in a 5-year career while playing for America’s Team.
The Underrated: Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, Jalen Ramsey, Tyreek Hill,
Alvin Kamara has become the premier dual threat running back in the NFL. He’s never led the league in rushing or receiving, but his ability to do both things well & efficiently has made the Saints offense very dangerous. Nick Chubb would probably be talked about more if he played for another more popular team than the Browns, but he has really given them an identity over the past few years. It’s about time that Madden start promoting defensive players on the cover, and Jalen Ramsey could start this trend. Ramsey talks a lot of smack but he backs it up, making him an interesting player to feature. Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in the league who plays for the hottest team in the league, what’s not to like about featuring him on the cover?
The Future: Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, Justin Jefferson, DK Metcalf,
Kyler Murray is the next budding NFL superstar in the mold of Lamar Jackson & Russell Wilson. He needs to learn how to close games out & stay healthy, but watch out for him when he figures that out. Justin Herbert had a fantastic rookie campaign for a struggling Chargers team last year. His accomplishments included winning the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award & setting the NFL record for total touchdowns amongst rookie quarterbacks. Justin Jefferson earned second team All Pro status & a Pro Bowl nod in his first season in the league. The sky is the limit for JJ in 2021, as he’s established himself as the Vikings WR1. DK Metcalf exploded onto the scene last year after a solid rookie campaign in 2019. Could he be the next Julio Jones?
Comments