Summary
Madden NFL 25features over 20 different positions. Coaches will need the right players for the job when deciding which plays will be best suited for shutting down their opponents. They willdeploy multiple linebackerson their side of the fieldalong with their best Safetiesto keep their opponent from gaining distance on them.
There are 3 kinds of linebackers to be aware of:Middle linebackers, Left Outside linebackers, and right outside linebackers. These players will be utilized differently, but they will work together to form a solid defense. Middle linebackers are a key option for stopping an opponent team’s running back, while outer linebackers will be able toblitzinto the opposing team’s offense.
90
89
11
32
50
77
49
Kicking
19
Khalil Mack is a right outside linebacker for theLos Angeles Chargersand has steadily dropped in Overall performancesinceMadden NFL 20— where he had anoverall of 99. Despite this sharp decline, he is still a great linebacker to have in place. Linebackers need to provide a solid defense, and hishighest rated Attributefor his Defense category is hisPower Moves. This attribute will help him get through the opponent team’s linemen — both on offense and defense.
Khalil Mack is aSuperstar player, meaning that they will have access to some special abilities.Edge Threat, No Outsiders, and Strip Specialistare great options for coaches to work into their plays while using Khalil, especially to throw a wrench intotheir opponent’s offensive plays.
92
10
36
76
48
Demario Davis is a middle linebacker for theNew Orleans Saintsand has been part of the video game series sinceMadden NFL 13— where hisOverall Ratinghas fluctuated. When it comes to Defensive Attributes, his highest stat is hisPlay Recognitionwith a 96. This Attribute will determine how well Demario will be able to read his opponents. He also has anAwarenessof 98, which will determine how well he will react. This is an amazing pairing for any player to have.
Unlike Khalil, Demario is not just a Superstar player,he is aSuperstar X-Factor Player. This means that he has a really powerful card up his sleeve alongside regular Superstar abilities. Demario will be able to make use of the Superstar X-Factor ability calledReinforcement. Using this ability, whenever Demario enters the zone, he will have an increased chance of defeating run blocks — as well as disrupting catches through tackling.
95
12
30
42
79
47
15
Roquan Smith is a middle linebacker for theBaltimore Ravensand, sinceMadden NFL 19, has done a great job of rising up to a solid Overall Rating of 95. It is very hard for a player toget into the covered 99 club, but any player that gets 95 or higher is one of the best players in the world of football. Out of all his Defensive Attributes, his highest rated is hisTackle.
This Attribute will determine how successful a player is in tackling their target. Combine this with his 90 rating inAccelerationand 98 rating inStamina, and it’s easy to see why he ranks so high up. Just like Demario, Roquan is a Superstar X-Factor player, and he makes use of the same Superstar X-Factor ability,Reinforcement.
97
88
35
44
82
45
38
T.J. Watt is a left outside linebacker for thePittsburgh Steelersand the only left outside linebacker to have a rating in the 90s. He has steadily raised his Overall rating from a 74 from his appearance inMadden NFL 18, up to an astonishing 97 rating.When it comes to Defensive Attributes, his highest stat is hisPlay Recognitionwith a 98 alongside a high ratedAwareness. However, unlike Demario, T.J. has anAwarenessthat goes all the way up to a 99.
Out of all the Left Outside Linebacker in the game, only 3 are Superstar players, and out of those 3 Superstar players, only T.J. is a Superstar X-Factor player. Just like the two entries before him, T.J. will have access to a Superstar X-Factor ability, with his being calledUnstoppable Force. Once T.J. enters the zone, this ability will increase his win rate and block shed speed when he is up against one-on-one pass blocks. Gamers will want players of this caliber when they feel it has come time toincrease the game’s difficulty.
8
34
46
Fred Warner is middle linebacker for theSan Fransisco 49ersand has raised his Overall Rating from a 71 inMadden NFL 19, up to his highest rating to date.When it comes to Defensive Attributes, he has two ratings at a value of 99. These are hisPlay Recognitionand hisPursuit. Pursuit will determine how well a player is able to chase down a ball carrier. To make him even more of a threat, he also has a 92 rating for his Speed, a 97 rating for hisStamina, and a 99 rating for hisAwareness.
It’s no surprise that Fred is also a Superstar X-Factor player, and the Superstar X-Factor ability he makes use of is calledZone Hawk. When Fred enters the zone, he will have an increased rate of success for interceptions in zone coverage.With the right sliders, this can make for some of the best looking interceptions.
