Madden 21 should be hitting shelves soon. And that means Madden 21 ratings are coming.
With a revealed, but not official, release date and some new features hinted at, it looks like EA is looking to make strides with the latest release of its iconic NFL franchise.
EA Play has been delayed a week but still set to go ahead, and with it comes the speculation of who the top players in Madden 21 will be.
Defensive ends are some of the most athletic and entertaining players in the NFL. Their sole job is to disrupt offenses and get to the QB makes them infamous.
So who will be the key players that will be able to make plays, even when double blocked?
Aaron Donald (99 OVR)
Dominant for years, Donald has been in the 99-club year after year. A back to back winner of Defensive player of the year, Donald is a future Hall of Famer - and he's only 29.
CONSISTENTLY DOMINANT: Donald has been one of the best NFL players for years
Despite the Rams not making the playoffs, Donald had another fine season. A disruptive force, he led the league with 20 tackles for loss. The 12.5 sacks were the 2nd best total of his career, and this is when teams are double-teaming him every single play.
JJ Watt (94 OVR)
Mr. Houston himself has won the Defensive Player of the year no less than three times.
One of the leagues' most recognized players, Watt had a tough season with a pectoral injury and only played eight games. His numbers were obviously low, but this won't stop him from being rated highly coming into the 2020 season on the back of his previous career totals.
Myles Garrett (93 OVR)
Former 1st overall pick, Myles Garrett, is the young up and comer that has the utter superstar quality.
UNSTOPPABLE: Garrett is an out and out Superstar
With 30.5 sacks in his first three seasons, Garrett is ready to take the league by storm. These numbers are decent, especially when considering he has only played one full season. A healthy Garrett has the chance to lead the league in all the pass-rushing metrics and win a defensive player of the year award.
Calais Campbell (91 OVR)
Even at 33, Campbell is a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.
READ MORE: Madden 21 gameplay: EA need to address run/pass balance
Over 500 tackles and 88 sacks, Campbell has a body of work that shows him to be a leader on the defensive line. He is getting older and his 2019 season had the lowest sack total in a few years - but he will still be in the early 90s for rating.
Cameron Jordan (91 OVR)
Jordan has been consistently good for his nine seasons in the NFL.
With 87 sacks and 10 forced fumbles, there are fewer pass rushers that can get to the QB as well as him. His 2019 season was his best sack performance to date, with 15.5 QB take downs.
Joey Bosa (90 OVR)
The first of the Bosa brothers on the list and the older of the two. But at 24, Joey has already shown the NFL him dominance.
Having double-digit sacks in three of his four NFL seasons, J. Bosa has a reputation. His 2018 season marred through injury is already a distant memory. A 11.5 sack 2019 campaign has shown he is ready to be considered one of the premier pass rushers.
Nick Bosa (90 OVR)
The younger Bosa brother isn't far behind. And at 22, he already has a Super Bowl appearance to his name.
BROTHERS IN ARMS: The Bosa brothers are competing to be the best DE in the league
In his rookie season, N. Bosa brought the heat with 9 sacks and 32 tackles. Additionally, he had 4 sacks in the 49ers run to the Super Bowl. He has shown he has the family attributes and they will be hard to separate coming ranking time.
Cameron Heyward (89 OVR)
Playing as a bigger DE, Heyward is known as a run stuffer.
These players are often underrated as its a harder role to measure. But Heyward still contributes to QB sacks too. With 9 sacks in 2019, Heyward has shown he belongs on this list and will appear just below the elite DEs in Madden 21.
Danielle Hunter (89 OVR)
Not many 3rd round picks offer as much value as Danielle Hunter has given the Vikings.
HUNTER BY NAME: And by nature, sacking the QB for fun
Back to back 14.5 sack seasons have established him in the conversation when discussing the best pass-rushing DEs in the NFL.
Justin Houston (88 OVR)
The 2014 NFL sacks leader went some way to recover his reputation after his move to the Colts last season.
After a 22 sack season in 2014, due to injury Houston failed to reach double-digit sacks in the following seasons until this year with the Colts. He bounced back with an 11 sack season and showed he still has the ability to command a high overall rating.
READ MORE: Madden 21 EA Play: Gameplay reveal, first look, ratings, trailer & more