Madden 22 is getting released on August 20 and the hype surrounding the ultra-popular video game series is already starting to build. Player ratings were unveiled this past week and it’s time to look at how the NFL’s Canadian players graded out.
For those who have never played Madden, player ratings are a hotly-debated topic as they fluctuate throughout the season to reflect player development or regression. The median player rating is approximately 73; developing players are typically in the 60s, while the NFL’s elite are typically scored at 85 or higher.
Below we’ve listed the top ten Canadian player ratings from the game. There are a number of first and second-year players on this list, so don’t be surprised if these numbers improve as the 2021 NFL season progresses.
DL David Onyemata, New Orleans Saints — 82 overall
The Manitoba product’s acceleration (84), strength (89), and power moves (86) make him a menace in the middle, though he’ll miss the first part of the NFL season due to a suspension. Onyemata is the No. 2-rated defensive lineman in New Orleans behind perennial Pro Bowl selection Cameron Jordan.
WR Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers — 78 overall
The Abbotsford, B.C. native set the NFL on fire in 2020 when he scored eleven touchdowns in sixteen regular season games. He’s the No. 3-rated receiver on the roster behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson, though his speed rating (92) is the best of any player in the receiving corps.
OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Kansas City Chiefs — 78 overall
The McGill product won Super Bowl LIV before opting out of the 2020 NFL season to fight the COVID-19 pandemic as a medical doctor, winning a number of awards in the process. He is the No. 3-rated offensive lineman tasked with protecting former NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes.
DL Brent Urban, Dallas Cowboys — 75 overall
The seven-year veteran started eight games for the Chicago Bears in 2020, recording 36 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Born in Mississauga, the six-foot-seven, 290-pound Urban is now the No. 3-rated defensive lineman on the Cowboys.
FS Jevon Holland, Miami Dolphins — 74 overall
The second-round pick out of Oregon is going into his rookie year where he projects as a starter in Miami’s secondary. In addition to his solid speed and cover skills, the native of Coquitlam, B.C. packs a punch from the free safety spot with 75 hit power.
WR N’Keal Harry, New England Patriots — 73 overall
The native of Toronto was a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and has disappointed ever since, which is somewhat reflected in his rating. He set new career-highs in 2020 when he caught 33 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns, though he’ll need to improve on those if he wants his grade to go up.
DL Neville Gallimore, Dallas Cowboys — 72 overall
The six-foot-two, 305-pounder is the No. 4-rated defensive lineman on the Cowboys after recording 28 total tackles and 0.5 sacks as a rookie in 2020. Considering his size, the Ottawa native brings excellent speed (79) and acceleration (84) along the line of scrimmage.
RB Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers — 71 overall
The fourth-round pick is the No. 2-ranked running back on the Panthers behind perennial Pro Bowl selection Christian McCaffrey. The native of Sherwood Park, Alta. has a nice balance of speed (90), accelerations (91) and strength (70).
DL Nathan Shepherd, New York Jets — 71 overall
The native of Ajax, Ont. is the No. 4-rated defensive tackle on the Jets behind Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, and Folorunso Fatukasi. He put up 17 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2020 and will look to improve on those numbers as he enters a contract year.
LB Alex Singleton, Philadelphia Eagles — 71 overall
The former Calgary Stampeders is the No. 1-rated middle linebacker on the Eagles and the team’s No. 2-rated overall behind Eric Wilson. We’d argue Singleton’s rating should be much higher considering he recorded 120 total tackles, two sacks, and an interception in 2020.
Best of the rest: DL Christian Covington, Los Angeles Chargers (69); CB Benjamin St-Juste, Washington Football Team (69); CB Tevaughn Campbell, Los Angeles Chargers (67), WR Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers (67).
Curious to know how the NFL’s Canadian players stack up against some former CFL players? We were, too. Here are their ratings.
FS Erik Harris, Atlanta Falcons (74); P Ty Long, Los Angeles Chargers (66); CB Tre Roberson, Chicago Bears (63); KR Diontae Spencer, Denver Broncos (65); QB Chris Streveler, Arizona Cardinals (61); OL Greg Van Roten, New York Jets (69); DL James Vaughters, Chicago Bears (66); WR Duke Williams, Buffalo Bills (67); WR Brandon Zylstra, Carolina Panthers (63).
