COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — For the first time, college football players will be realistically emulated in a video game and multiple Buckeyes stars are rated amongst the best in the nation.
EA Sports revealed the top 100 players based on overall ratings in its upcoming video game “College Football 25”, which is set to launch next Friday on PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X. Amongst the players in the list are eight from Ohio State with the top two being recent transfers.
Safety Caleb Downs, who transferred to Ohio State from Alabama, is ranked as the best player on the Buckeyes and as the fifth best player in the game with a 95 overall rating out of 99. He is rated as the third best defensive player by EA Sports with Michigan cornerback Will Johnson (No. 1 player, 96 overall) and Tennessee defensive end James Pearce Jr. (No. 4 player, 95 overall) rated higher.
Former Ole Miss running back and new Buckeye Quinshon Judkins also cracked the top ten as a 95 overall, ranking ninth in the top 100 list. The only running back rated higher than Judkins is Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon III, who along with Johnson and LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell are the only 96 overall rated players. Judkins’ highest individual rating released was acceleration at a 94.
Top 10 players in “College Football 25”
- CB Will Johnson (96, Michigan)
- LT Will Campbell (96, LSU)
- HB Ollie Gordon III (96, Oklahoma State)
- DE James Pearce Jr. (95, Tennessee)
- FS Caleb Downs (95, Ohio State)
- WR Travis Hunter (95, Colorado)
- FS Malaki Starks (95, Georgia)
- DT Mason Graham (95, Michigan)
- HB Quinshon Judkins (95, Ohio State)
- RG Tate Ratledge (95, Georgia)
In addition to Downs and Judkins, six other Buckeyes made the top 100 including wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (No. 19, 93 overall), running back TreVeyon Henderson (No. 23, 93 overall), defensive end Jack Sawyer (No. 29, 92 overall), offensive guard Donovan Jackson (No. 46, 91 overall), cornerback Denzel Burke (No. 51, 91 overall), and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (No. 54, 91 overall).
31 players in the top 100 list play for one of the 18 Big Ten schools while 29 players from Southeastern Conference schools made the list. You can see the full list by clicking here.
Top 10 Big Ten players in “College Football 25”
- CB Will Johnson (96, Michigan)
- FS Caleb Downs (95, Ohio State)
- DT Mason Graham (95, Michigan)
- HB Quinshon Judkins (95, Ohio State)
- LB Jay Higgins (94, Iowa)
- WR Emeka Egbuka (93, Ohio State)
- RB TreVeyon Henderson (93, Ohio State)
- LT Aireontae Ersery (93, Minnesota)
- DE Jack Sawyer (92, Ohio State)
- QB Dillon Gabriel (92, Oregon)
The Buckeyes are rated as the second best overall team with a rating of 93. Georgia is ranked as the top team with a 95 overall rating. Ohio State’s defense is rated as the best in the game at 96 and No. 5 in offense at 89.
After the release of “NCAA Football 14” in 2013, the NCAA announced it did not renew its license with EA Sports after legal disputes began piling up over creating avatars that mimicked college players without their consent. EA Sports allowed college football players to have their likeness featured in “CFB25” and will be compensated.
