Published Aug 2, 2021
Ranking former NC State football players' Madden 22 ratings
Justin H. Williams  •  TheWolfpackCentral
Staff Writer
Twitter
@JustinHWill

Coinciding with the start of NFL training camps last week, EA Sports released its player ratings in the upcoming Madden 22 video game.

The game is set to release on Aug. 20. The ratings are normally released a month ahead of the game's official launch date and typically spark debate among football fans nationwide.

Here are the ratings of former NC State football players, ranked from lowest to highest:

Advertisement

QB Russell Wilson (2007-09), Seattle Seahawks — 94

Overall rating: 94

Strength: Throwing Power and Agility (92)

Notes: Despite some acrimony in the offseason, Wilson remains with the Seahawks, where he is set to begin his 10th season as a starter ... In his career, he has completed 2,820 of 4,335 passes for 33,946 yards and 267 touchdowns with 81 interceptions, and has also rushed for 4,506 yards and 21 scores.

OLB Bradley Chubb (2014-17), Denver Broncos — 85

Overall rating: 85

Strength: Strength (91)

Notes: The Broncos picked up Chubb's fifth-year option this offseason, valued at over $12.7 million … Chubb made the Pro Bowl last season after he made 42 tackles (26 solo, nine for loss and 7.5 sacks) and 18 quarterback hurries in 14 games, all starts ... Has made 20.5 sacks in his first three years in the NFL despite playing only four contests in year two due to a torn ACL.

OG Joe Thuney (2012-15), Kansas City Chiefs — 84

Overall rating: 84

Strength: Awareness (91)

Notes: After starting every game since joining the New England Patriots as a rookie in 2016, Thuney signed a five-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason ... That included a $17 million signing bonus and nearly $47 million guaranteed.

RB Nyheim Hines (2015-17), Indianapolis Colts — 80

Overall rating: 80

Strength: Speed and Acceleration (93)

Notes: Had 63 receptions for 482 yards and four touchdowns, 89 carries for 380 yards and three scores, and 30 punt returns with an average of 10.0 yards per runback during the regular season to help the Colts reach the playoffs ... Indianapolis has not added a running back via the draft or free agency ... In three seasons with the team that drafted him in the fourth round, Hines has 893 yards and seven scores rushing, and 170 receptions for 1,227 yards and six more touchdowns ... Has also returned a pair of punts to the end zone.

C Garrett Bradbury (2015-18), Minnesota Vikings — 79

Overall rating: 79

Strength: Toughness and Strength (89)

Notes: The 2019 first-round pick has started every game over his two seasons in the NFL, and it is highly likely he will continue in that role in 2021 ... It will be an important season for Bradbury since the Vikings will have to make a decision on the lucrative fifth-year option in his rookie contract following the 2021 campaign.

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (2013-14), Green Bay Packers — 76

Overall rating: 76

Strength: Speed (93)

Notes: Last year had 33 receptions for 675 yards and six touchdowns in 16 regular-season contests, including 14 starts ... Is a favorite to continue as a starter ... Has 97 receptions for 1,723 yards and 10 touchdowns in three seasons with Green Bay.

WR Jakobi Meyers (2016-18), New England Patriots — 75

Overall rating: 75

Strength: Acceleration (91)

Notes: Appears secure on the roster after he had 59 receptions for 729 yards in the 15 games in which he was active last season ... Also threw two touchdown passes in 2020, his second season with the Patriots after signing as an undrafted free agent ... New England added six-year veteran Nelson Agholor to the receiving corps on a two-year, $22 million deal and inked former San Francisco wideout Kendrick Bourne to a three-year, $15 million contract, but Meyers still seems like a safe bet to continue a prominent role.

DL B.J. Hill (2014-17), New York Giants — 74

Overall rating: 74

Strength: Toughness (89)

Notes: Hill is one of several defensive linemen that will be competing for roster spots in 2021 ... The Giants lost starter Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency but did sign Danny Shelton and Ifeadi Odenigbo to further boost its depth up front, plus it drafted Elerson Smith in the fourth round ... Last season, Hill had 32 tackles (15 solo), one sack, one tackle for a loss, one hurry and one pass breakup while playing in 15 contests ... Through three years in the league, Hill has 116 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

P A.J. Cole (2015-18), Las Vegas Raiders — 74

Overall rating: 74

Strength: Kick Power (90)

Notes: Last year, Cole had 40 punts for an average of 44.1 yards (net of 40.1 yards) while placing 19 inside the 20 ... Thus far, the Raiders have not added any punting competition for Cole.

DT Justin Jones (2014-17), Los Angeles Chargers — 72

Overall rating: 72

Strength: Tackling (82)

Notes: Jones appears likely to resume his starting role in what will be his fourth season for the Chargers after Los Angeles has not made any significant additions, yet, to its defensive front ... Last year, he had 34 tackles (19 solo), five tackles for loss, a sack and four quarterback hurries in 13 games, all starts ... The former third-round pick has 81 career hits, including seven for loss and 1.5 sacks.

LB Germaine Pratt (2014-18), Cincinnati Bengals — 72

Overall rating: 72

Strength: Acceleration (89)

Notes: Finished last season with 89 tackles (55 solo) on the season, including five for a loss, and two passes broken up while starting 15 of 16 games ... The former third-round pick is expected to continue in his role as a starter in year three of his career.

DT Alim McNeill (2018-20), Detroit Lions — 71

Overall rating: 71

Strength: Strength (90)

Notes: Became the seventh defensive lineman under head coach Dave Doeren to be drafted ... McNeill has a chance to make an immediate impact, with The Athletic projecting that he'll supplant starter John Penisini at nose tackle.

WR Kelvin Harmon (2016-18), Washington — 71

Overall rating: 71

Strength: Toughness (90)

Notes: After missing last season with a torn ACL, Harmon is looking to bounce back … Played in 16 games with eight starts as a rookie in 2019 and notched 30 receptions for 365 yards ... The Athletic called Harmon a "roster hopeful" in its post-draft rundown of Washington's depth chart.

RB Jaylen Samuels (2014-17), Pittsburgh Steelers — 70

Overall rating: 70

Strength: Speed and Acceleration (88)

Notes: Samuels will face a tough competition to keep his roster spot on a team that used its first-round draft pick on Alabama star running back Najee Harris, but it may help Samuels that his former college offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, was hired in that capacity by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin this offseason ... Last year, Samuels had nine receptions for 46 yards and eight carries for 24 yards in 14 games played, including one start ... In three years, Samuels has 459 yards and a TD rushing with 82 receptions for 550 yards and four scores.

DB Josh Jones (2014-16), Jacksonville Jaguars — 69

Overall rating: 69

Strength: Speed and Acceleration (88)

Notes: Last season, the former second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers had a breakout in his first full-time season as a starter ... Had 83 tackles (59 solo), an interception and a pass breakup on the season while starting all 12 contests he played ... However, he may be in a battle to keep that starting job after Jacksonville drafted former Syracuse safety Andre Cisco with the first pick in the third round, although Cisco will be coming back from a torn ACL suffered early in the 2020 season ... Jacksonville also signed Rayshawn Jenkins, a starter the past two years for the Chargers, in the offseason to a lucrative four-year, $35 million deal ... Jones was an unrestricted free agent who resigned with Jacksonville for one year and just over $1.1 million ... He has 211 career tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks, plus two interceptions and six pass breakups.

QB Jacoby Brissett (2014-15), Miami Dolphins — 67

Overall rating: 67

Strength: Throwing Power (89)

Notes: After completing 2 of 8 passes for 17 yards and running 17 times for 19 yards and three touchdowns while serving as Rivers' backup in Indianapolis, Brissett signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Dolphins on a one-year, $7.5 million deal ... It will be Brissett's third team as he enters his sixth season in the NFL ... In his career, Brissett is 586-of-983 passing for 6,459 yards and 31 touchdowns with 13 interceptions, and has rushed for 583 yards and 12 scores.

DB Dontae Johnson (2010-13), San Francisco 49ers — 67

Overall rating: 67

Strength: Acceleration and Stamina (90)

Notes: In its post-draft rundown of the depth chart, The Athletic had Johnson as the last cornerback on its projected 53-man roster... Last year, Johnson played in 13 games with three starts and posted 20 tackles (13 solo) and a sack with three passes broken up and two quarterback hurries ... It was his seventh season in the NFL ... In his career, he has 184 tackles, two picks and 24 pass breakups.

DB Juston Burris (2012-15), Carolina Panthers — 66

Overall rating: 66

Strength: Acceleration (89)

Notes: Will be entering the final year of a two-year, $8 million contract he signed with the Panthers in 2020 ... Last year, Burris had 53 tackles (34 solo and four for loss), an interception, four passes broken up and a quarterback hurry in 13 games, 12 of them starts ... Set career highs in tackles and starts in a season ... Carolina did not draft a safety or sign any additions to compete for Burris' starting job, yet.

DE James Smith-Williams (2016-19), Washington — 65

Overall rating: 65

Strength: Acceleration (88)

Notes: Played 13 games in his rookie season and had seven tackles (2.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks) ... Washington drafted a pair of defensive ends — Baylor's William Bradley-King and Penn State's Shaka Toney — to add competition for the final roster spots ... The Athletic has Smith-Williams as one of the team's reserves in its post-draft depth chart analysis, but noted Washington general manager Martin Mayhew said they would explore further free agent signings.

DL Kentavius Street (2014-17), San Francisco 49ers — 65

Overall rating: 65

Strength: Strength (89)

Notes: The 49ers have signed six defensive linemen this offseason, although none of them big-ticket additions ... The added competition has Street on the outside and looking in for the projected 53-man roster, according to The Athletic ... Has 12 tackles (five solo, one for loss) in 15 games played (two starts) last season, his first extensive action in his career.

DT Larrell Murchison (2018-19), Tennessee Titans — 63

Overall rating: 63

Strength: Strength (86)

Notes: During his rookie season, Murchison had five stops (one solo) in nine games played ... Tennessee signed Denico Autry to a three-year, $21.5 million deal, but it also lost free agents DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford ... Murchison is favored to be a backup in 2021, according to The Athletic's post-draft depth chart review.

OT Will Richardson Jr. (2015-17), Jacksonville Jaguars — 62

Overall rating: 62

Strength: Toughness (83)

Notes: Played in every game last season, but all but one came as a reserve and he's expected to continue in that role, per The Athletic ... Richardson, after missing his rookie season with an injury, has played 31 games over the past two years with three starts.

TE Thaddeus Moss (2016), Cincinnati Bengals — 62

Overall rating: 62

Strength: Acceleration (85)

Notes: After being waived by Washington, Moss was claimed by the Bengals ... The Athletic listed Moss as one of its reserves on Cincinnati's projected 53-man roster.

QB Mike Glennon (2009-12), New York Giants — 59

Overall rating: 59

Strength: Throw Power (85)

Notes: Glennon is set to be a part of his sixth team after signing with the New York Giants for a one-year, $1.35 million contract ... Last season, he started five games and completed 111 of 179 passes (62.0 percent) for 1,072 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions while also rushing six times for 17 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars and accumulated a passer rating of 80.1 ... In his career, Glennon has completed 599 of 980 passes for 6,235 yards and 43 touchdowns with 25 interceptions with the Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders.

Ratings not listed

QB Ryan Finley, Cincinnati Bengals

TE Cary Angeline, Arizona Cardinals

DT T.Y. Gill, Philadelphia Eagles

OG Joe Sculthorpe, Atlanta Falcons

——

• Talk about it inside The Wolves' Den

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook