After almost a decade away, EA Sports is bringing college football back to the video game world in 2023. NCAA Football was one of EA’s most successful franchises, but due to the NCAA’s complicated amateur sports rules, the series ultimately had to be shuttered. The game was so beloved, that many fans held onto their Xbox 360s and PS3s until EA Sports College Football was announced.
With any sports game, one of the biggest questions is the yearly title’s cover star. From Barry Sanders to Kobe Bryant, every generation’s favorite athlete has graced the cover of one of the biggest games. However, EA Sports College Football is in a unique position, with the game having been away for so long. It could select one of the stars of the 2022 season, or it could go with any number of players from the last decade. Whichever direction EA goes with, there will be no shortage of options.
Bryce Young
The Heisman Trophy is the highest honor a college football player can earn. The player who wins the Heisman each year typically defines the season, with a huge highlight reel and plenty of team success. In the NCAA Football franchise, Heisman winners also typically were the cover athletes for the next year’s game.
If EA Sports College Football follows the trend of its predecessor, Bryce Young would be a clear choice. After winning the Heisman as a sophomore last season, Young led the Alabama Crimson Tide to the National Championship game where he was defeated by Georgia. This season, Young has led Alabama to another top ranking and is favored to win the Heisman Trophy once again, along with the National Championship. If EA is going to stick with tradition, there is no better option than Bryce Young.
Joe Burrow
When the NCAA Football franchise ended in 2014, many college athletes’ dreams of appearing in the hit series died then and there. However, EA can make up for it by including the last decade’s best players in EA Sports College Football. If the franchise wants to go the extra mile, it can make Joe Burrow the cover athlete.
In 2019, Joe Burrow had the best college football season of all time, and it wasn’t particularly close. Burrow shattered several long-standing records for total yards, touchdowns, and passing efficiency, leading LSU to a National Championship and winning the Heisman Trophy along the way. Eventually becoming the top pick in the NFL Draft, Burrow won every important award and broke every passing record he could have. It’s hard to argue anyone deserves the honor more than Joe Burrow.
Lamar Jackson
If EA does not give the honor to Burrow, Lamar Jackson is the next best legacy option. Jackson didn’t have the same record-shattering numbers as Burrow, but his 2016 season was still incredible. On top of that, Jackson is one of the best athletes that college football has ever seen.
Jackson’s 2016 season came out of nowhere. After a quiet freshman season, his sophomore campaign took the world by storm, throwing for 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, while also running for 1,500 yards and another 21 touchdowns. His elite work both through the air and on the ground made Jackson the youngest Heisman winner ever, at just 19 years old. More importantly, he led a relatively obscure Louisville team into national relevance.
After a decade away, fans are thrilled to finally have college football return to gaming. Fans have been hoping for more news, but EA has been relatively quiet since the new title was announced this summer. Luckily, EA Sports has no shortage of options for its next cover athlete when the game debuts.
EA Sports College Football is in development.
