Alabama Roots: ‘Madden NFL 25’ rates the top players from acceleration to zone coverage
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in the NFL, Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has the most devastating stiff-arm of any ball-carrier in the league and New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is the NFL’s best at shedding blocks, according to the ratings for the “Madden NFL 25” video game.
EA Sports has completed its rollout of the ratings for this year’s game, and NFL standouts who played at Alabama high schools and colleges dot the leaders for the 53 attributes rated by the game.
Hill is a West Alabama alumnus, Henry won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama and Williams was an All-American for the Crimson Tide after playing at Wenonah High School in Birmingham.
Hill had the only 99 – the game’s highest score – for speed, but he wasn’t the only ultra-fast player with Alabama football roots in the game. Seven of the 17 players rated 96 or better for speed have Alabama football roots, with Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama) at 98, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama) and New York Jets wide receiver Tyler Harrell (Alabama) at 97 and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Quez Watkins (Athens), Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen) and Dolphins wide receiver Anthony Schwartz (Auburn) at 96 joining Hill.
In addition to speed, Hill also had the top rating among all NFL players in the categories of acceleration, agility, change of direction, deep-route running, juke move, medium-route running, release and short-route running and was tied for the top spot in awareness.
Those superlatives translated to Hill being among the five players who received an overall rating of 99, along with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and offensive tackle Trent Williams.
The top 10 players from Alabama high schools and colleges in the “Madden NFL 25” overall ratings are:
· 1. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama): 99
· 2. Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama): 95
· 3. Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama): 94
· 3. New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama): 94
· 5. Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama): 93
· 6. Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama): 91
· 6. Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville): 91
· 8. Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn): 90
· 8. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama): 90
· 8. New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama): 90
EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 25” will be available worldwide on Aug. 16.
The top player with Alabama football roots in each of the game’s categories (with top 10 rankings noted) includes:
Acceleration: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the highest acceleration rating in the game, with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama) and Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen) among the five plays at 97.
Agility: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the top ranking in this category. Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Alabama) is tied for second at 97.
Awareness: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 99. Hill is among the 10 players with the top possible score in this category.
Ball-Carrier Vision: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 97. Hill is tied for second in this category.
Block Shedding: New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama), 93. Williams is tied for the highest rating in this category.
Break Sack: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama), 93. Hurts ranks third in this category.
Break Tackle: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama), 94. Henry is second in this category.
Carrying: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama), Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama) and Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Alabama), 93.
Catching: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 95.
Catch in Traffic: Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (Alabama), 93.
Change of Direction: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the top ranking in this category.
Deep-Route Running: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the top ranking in this category.
Deep-Throw Accuracy: Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), 91. Tagovailoa is fourth in this category.
Finesse Moves: Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville), 84. Hines-Allen is tied for seventh in this category.
Hit Power: New York Jets middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama), 90. Mosley is tied for sixth in this category.
Impact Blocking: Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama) and Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce (Daphne High School, Samford), 91.
Injury: Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley High School, Alabama), 97.
Juke Move: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill ranks first in this category.
Jumping: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (Hoover), 96. Pickens is tied for ninth in this category.
Kick Accuracy: Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (Auburn) and Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne), 86.
Kick Power: Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (Auburn), Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) and Los Angeles Chargers punter JK Scott (Alabama), 95.
Kick Return: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 92. Hill is tied for second in this category.
Lead Block: Tennessee Titans offensive tackle J.C. Latham (Alabama), 89.
Man Coverage: Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama), 96. Surtain is third in this category.
Medium-Route Running: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the top ranking in this category.
Medium-Throw Accuracy: Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), 90. Tagovailoa is sixth in this category.
Pass Block: Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama) and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson (Alabama), 85.
Pass-Block Finesse: Tennessee Titans offensive tackle J.C. Latham (Alabama), 84.
Pass-Block Power: Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama), 88.
Play Action: Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), 93.
Play Recognition: Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama), 97. Surtain is tied for seventh in this category.
Power Moves: Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama), 90. Allen is sixth in this category.
Press Coverage: Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover High School, Alabama) and Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama), 95. Humphrey and Surtain are tied for fourth in this category.
Pursuit: New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama) and New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama), 93.
Release: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 99. Hill has the top ranking in this category.
Run Block: Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith (Auburn), 90.
Run-Block Finesse: Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith (Auburn), 92.
Run-Block Power: Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith (Auburn), 88.
Short-Route Running: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 98. Hill has the top ranking in this category.
Short-Throw Accuracy: Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), 96. Tagovailoa is fourth in this category.
Spectacular Catch: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (Hoover), 96. Pickens is tied for seventh in this category.
Speed: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 99. Hill is the only player with a 99 speed rating in the game. Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (Alabama) is one of the two players at 98.
Spin Move: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), 86. Hill is tied for fifth in this category.
Stamina: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama), 98. Henry is tied for second in this category.
Stiff-Arm: Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (Alabama), 99. Henry is the only player with a 99 in this category.
Strength: Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn), 98. Brown is tied for second in this category.
Tackle: Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn) and New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama), 96. Brown and Mosley are tied for fifth in this category.
Throw on the Run: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama), 93. Hurts is fifth in this category.
Throw Power: Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis (Auburn), 93.
Throw Under Pressure: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama), 93. Hurts is tied for fourth in this category.
Toughness: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama), 97.
Trucking: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (Alabama) and Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama), 90. Henry and Jacobs are tied for fourth in this category.
Zone Coverage: Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama) and Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama), 95. Fitzpatrick and Surtain are tied for third in this category.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.