Madden NFL 23 was recently released, and like every year, the player ratings were a source of controversy across social media. Some NFL fans believe Electronic Arts intentionally makes weird decisions to stir controversy as a way of manifesting free word-of-mouth marketing, while others assume the rating guys at EA simply don't watch enough NFL games.
Sure there's plenty to scratch one's head about concerning player ratings in Madden NFL 23, but it's also important to acknowledge what EA got right, and there happens to be more than a handful of players who were given appropriate and respectable player ratings.
8 Vita Vea (93)
Vita Vea is a name that most casual NFL fans likely don't know, and that's mostly due to the position he plays. He almost always lines up as an interior defensive lineman and is tasked with eating double teams and stopping the run. It's hard to find another player in the NFL who does this better than Vea, and he's been a key part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers consistently fielding one of the better run defenses in the NFL.
It may be shocking to the uninformed that this big guy from the Bucs has a 93 overall in Madden 23, but for those who know, an argument could be made that his overall should be a little higher.
7 Travis Kelce (98)
Depending on the person asked, Travis Kelce or George Kittle are the single best tight end in the NFL. When it comes to pure offensive production and health Kelce starts to pull away simply because he has posted a string of seasons at tight end that have never been seen before.
Sure, he could easily be in the 99 overall club and has a case for it, but a 98 is also pretty respectful for what he has managed to do in his career. It doesn't hurt that he's catching passes from Patrick Mahomes, but it's clear that he is an elite-level talent in the NFL and will likely go down as an all-time great at the tight end position.
6 Calais Campbell (87)
Calais Campbell is a wily veteran who has been the defensive anchor to many great defenses over the last decade. He played a key role in the Jacksonville Jaguars AFC Championship game a few years ago and was a menace as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. These days he gets lost in the sauce of the Baltimore Ravens, but he still manages to leave his mark in games.
Teams feel he commands double teams, and his sheer size and length allow him to disrupt offenses in a multitude of ways. Campbell is getting older, but his 87 overall in Madden 23 showcases just how dominant he was in his prime, and how even in his aging years he remains a problem.
5 Joe Burrow (90)
Coming off of leading a Cincinnati Bengals team to the Super Bowl, Joe Burrow has established himself as a Top 10 quarterback in the NFL. Most people have him outside of the Top 5 right now, but where he lands from 5-10 is rather subjective. He sits at a 90 overall in Madden 23, making him overall the 5th best at the quarterback position in the game.
It's a nice reward for a guy who led a team most people thought wouldn't win more than six games, to the Super Bowl. It's unclear what the rest of Burrow's career holds, but he's already confirmed that he'll be playing in the league at a high level for the foreseeable future.
4 Zack Martin (98)
The recent injury to Tyron Smith has put a lot of pressure on right guard Zack Martin to hold that Dallas Cowboys offensive line unit together. He's continued to be one of the best in the league at his position, and if it wasn't for Quenton Nelson in Indianapolis, Martin would far and away be the best guard in the NFL.
His versatility is what sets him apart and is a big reason why he deserves a 98 overall in Madden 23. Martin has showcased that he can line up at any spot on the offensive line and produce All-Pro level play, which is much harder than one assumes it would be to do as an offensive lineman.
3 Kyle Juszczyk (87)
Fullback, outside of kicker and punter, is likely one of the most overlooked positions in all of football. Sure some amazing athletes play the position in the league, but none more consistently or as versatile as Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers.
His ability to block, both in the run and pass game has been pivotal to the success of head coach Kyle Shanahan's system. Juszczyk's 87 overall makes him the highest at his position by a considerable margin. It's likely because he's also a solid rusher and can be a consistent check-down target for the quarterback in the passing game as well.
2 Trent Williams (99)
Trent Williams is far and away the best offensive lineman in the NFL. It was unclear whether he'd return to the All-Pro player he was following the fallout of his tenure with the Washington Commanders and the terrifying medical emergency he had to endure. It turns out all Williams needed was a change of scenery and he's back to being as dominant as ever.
Sure, offensive weapon Deebo Samuel caught the headlines, but without Williams that offensive unit wouldn't have been as dominant. His membership in the 99 overall club was more than earned, and he may stay in or near that club for the foreseeable future as he continues to maul defenders.
1 Aaron Donald (99)
Super Bowl Champion Aaron Donald, until otherwise, remains the NFL's best player regardless of position. There's not a game that goes by where the opposing offense doesn't spend the entire week trying to gameplan around the disruption Donald will cause.
As he gets older it's unclear if his dominance will remain, but given the man's work ethic and approach, it's hard to see that decline coming any time soon. Until then Donald will remain as the annual inductee into the Madden 99 Overall Club. If he were to retire tomorrow he'd be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is quite the accomplishment in and of itself.
Madden NFL 23 is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.