Penn State lagging behind other Big Ten contenders in EA Sports College Football 25 player ratings

The 2024 season will be Abdul Carter’s first at defensive end, but EA Sports believes that he’ll figure out his new spot on the Penn State defense rather quickly. On Wednesday, EA Sport released the ratings for the top 100 players in College Football 25 and Carter was Penn State’s highest-rated player at 91 overall, the 47th best player in the game, which is set to release on July 19. 

Three Nittany Lions were included in the top 100 with Kevin Winston Jr. at 57th and Nicholas Singleton at 64th. Both the junior safety and junior running back have 91 overall ratings. In 2023, Penn State had one of the three best defenses in the country, right alongside Michigan and Ohio State, so it’s no surprise that the Nittany Lions’ two best players in the game are on that side of the ball. 

Even with Carter and Winston both earning 91 overall ratings, Penn State’s defense is only the ninth-best in the game. Ohio State has the best defense and has eight players in the top 100, four on the defensive side. Michigan has the most top-end talent of any team’s defense. Despite being ranked as the seventh-best defensive unit, the Wolverines have two top 10 players in the game. 

Matching up against Washington’s elite receivers in the national championship game, Will Johnson allowed just two catches for 11 yards in a dominant performance deeming him worthy of his 96 overall rating. Also in that game, against Washington’s Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, Mason Graham produced a season-high five pressures. 

The Wolverines have five top 100 players and so do Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks.

Penn State has elite defensive players and one of the game’s best running backs, but it looks like EA Sports thinks the rest of the Big Ten’s contenders have a lot more talent than James Franklin’s group.