Predicting the 10 highest-rated SEC players in EA Sports College Football 25
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After roughly a decade of waiting, EA Sports will deliver another installment of its college football video game franchise this summer.
EA Sports College Football 25 will officially launch on July 19, the company announced earlier this week. The game also has an official trailer as well as some new details regarding gameplay in the new game.
However, there is still some mystery surrounding player ratings in this year’s game. This story will attempt to predict the ratings of some of the best players in the SEC:
James Pearce Jr. | DL | Tennessee | Predicted rating: 97
James Pearce Jr. is widely regarded as college football’s top pass rusher entering the 2024 season. He recorded 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks last year while also collecting 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles. He was PFF’s highest-graded defensive end in the SEC last season and figures to be even better in 2024. With no truly-elite QB prospects returning in the SEC this year, Pearce tops this ranking.
Carson Beck | QB | Georgia | Predicted rating: 95
Carson Beck led UGA to a 13-1 record last season and is expected to be in the mix to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Last season with the Bulldogs, he threw for 3,941 yards while averaging 9.5 yards per attempt. Now entering his second year as a starter, Beck figures to be one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in the country in this year’s game.
Luther Burden | WR | Missouri | Predicted rating: 94
Luther Burden went for over 1,200 yards in 2023, which was his true sophomore season at Mizzou. Given the wide receiver talent that exited the college game after 2023, Burden has as good a claim as anyone to the title of best wide receiver in the country entering 2024. Burden plays in a receiver-friendly offense and also has a proven returning quarterback in Brady Cook.
RELATED: Saturday Down South’s Derek Peterson wrote about the 5 Group-of-5 schools he can’t wait to play with in dynasty mode in EA Sports College Football 25.
Quinn Ewers | QB | Texas | Predicted rating: 94
Quinn Ewers has been known in the college football community for years, as he was already an elite prospect when he re-classified and enrolled at Ohio State just ahead of the 2021 season. Since transferring to Texas, Ewers has mostly backed up the lofty recruiting rankings that he earned as a prep QB. He led Texas to the College Football Playoff for the first time ever last season and is one of 3 cover athletes on this year’s game.
Will Campbell | OL | LSU | Predicted rating: 93
Will Campbell is one of the most-decorated returning offensive tackles in all of college football for 2024. He was named first-team all-SEC last season by the league’s coaches and was also a freshman all-American in 2022. Along with Texas’ Kelvin Banks, he should be in the mix to be the first tackle off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Deone Walker | DL | Kentucky | Predicted rating: 92
Deone Walker is arguably the best interior defensive lineman in the country entering the 2024 season. Last year at Kentucky, Walker recorded 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. At 6-foot-6, 348 pounds, Walker is a remarkable athlete with first-team All-America potential in 2024.
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Kelvin Banks | OL | Texas | Predicted rating: 92
Along with Campbell, Banks figures to be one of the best offensive tackles in the country this season. Banks has 27 career starts and was named first-team All-Big 12 for his efforts in 2023. He helped Texas earn semifinalist honors for the Joe Moore Award and was a big part of the Longhorns’ first-ever College Football Playoff team.
Malaki Starks | DB | Georgia | Predicted rating: 90
Malaki Starks has an argument to be the highest-rated safety in the game this season. A ball-hawk with the coverage skills to play in man or zone, Starks has 5 interceptions and 14 pass deflections over his 2 seasons with the Bulldogs. He’s an exceptional talent in the secondary.
Jalen Milroe | QB | Alabama | Predicted rating: 89
Jalen Milroe will be an interesting test case for EA Sports’ rating system. On one hand, Milroe has incredible speed and averaged 10 yards per attempt as a passer last season in his first full year as a starter. On the other hand, Milroe proved to be very limited as a passer against elite defenses last season and will be playing in an entirely new system this year with Kalen DeBoer taking over in Tuscaloosa. Milroe’s speed will make him one of the most dynamic players in the game this year, but his passing traits could leave something to be desired.
Harold Perkins | LB | LSU | Predicted rating: 89
There’s no denying that Harold Perkins had a disappointing year in 2023, but he’s still one of the most talented players in the sport. He’s already recorded 26 tackles for loss and 7 forced fumbles in 2 seasons at LSU. I firmly expect him to be rated in at least the high 80s — and you could argue his upside warrants even more than this projection.
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Honorable mentions (in no particular order): Mykel Williams, Georgia; Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss; Walter Nolen, Ole Miss; Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma; Tre Harris, Ole Miss; Isaiah Bond, Texas; Nic Scourton, Texas A&M.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
