NFL Madden 12: Ranking the 32 Nominees
This just in. There will be football in 2012…at least of the electronic kind.
EA Sports recently announced that they will allow the fans to vote for the cover athlete to feature on their flagship NFL video game Madden12. The vote will take place online in a bracket style competition at www.ESPN.com/MaddenVote.
The winner will be announced April 27 on ESPN’s SportsNation.
One player from each NFL team is among the finalists. We didn’t create the list, but here at Bleacher Report it’s our job to break it down and tell you the players we think are most, and least, ready for their close-up. And, of course, invite you to do the same.
Before you fill out your bracket, this slideshow will let you know—in some cases with our tongue firmly in our cheek—which NFL star deserves to make the cut.
32. 12th Man (Seattle Seahawks)
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Don’t be angry Seattle. Someone has to be first.
I respect your passion. You may even be able to take some credit for the Seahawks playoff win. But I needed some ground rules. And so my first rule is the candidate must be an actual person.
You may want to direct your anger at the selection committee who felt no player on your team deserved nomination. Plus, the 12th Man makes us think of college, which reminds us of Pete Carroll and USC, and doesn’t the NFL have enough problems of its own right now?
31. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
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This brings us to my second rule: Players who have already graced the cover go to the back of the line.
As the featured player of Madden11, Brees has already had to endure one year of trying to overcome the Madden curse. And what did he get for it? A strained MCL and a first-round loss in the playoffs.
Brees and the Saints will welcome this snub.
30. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals)
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OK, you see how this works. So you know it’s no reflection on Fitzgerald’s considerable talent, or Arizona’s quarterback woes, that he’s in this spot.
I know he only shared the Madden10 cover with Troy Polamalu, but a rule is a rule.
Sorry Larry.
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29. Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants)
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Rule number three—the player has to have a body of work.
Nicks had a good year with 79 receptions for 1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns. But he only played in 13 games and missed the Giants’ last game, which had playoff implications.
Injuries happen, but in this case it moves Nicks down a few spots.
28. Steve Johnson (Buffalo Bills)
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I thought this might be C.J. Spiller or that Shawne Merriman might sneak in as their nominee.
Either way, although Johnson had a great year (82 receptions, 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns) his resume is in the same category as Nicks, and his big overtime drop is still a fresh memory.
In a crowded field at wide receiver, Johnson falls short.
27. Carlos Dunlap (Cincinnati Bengals)
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Dunlap was a bright spot on a Bengals defense that disappointed.
His 10 sacks may earn him a starting spot on the Bengals in 2011. But with proven starters like DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney in the mix, it’s hard to justify moving Dunlap higher.
Dark horse for Madden14?
26. Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders)
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With a 2010 campaign that included 223 carries for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns, McFadden is finally starting to show the promise that made him a No. 1 draft choice in 2008.
Adding to his credentials is a Raiders team that looks like they might be ready to contend. However, like the nominees that came before him, McFadden needs to put together more than one year to move into Madden12 contention.
25. Jordan Gross (Carolina Panthers)
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It’s nice that an offensive lineman was nominated. But isn’t there an unwritten rule that offensive lineman get no respect?
Before you answer, consider that the bracket isn’t doing Gross any favors. He goes head-to-head against division rival Matt Ryan who possesses a lot of those qualities that seem to go along with this honor.
Rumor has it that Carolina tried to delay the voting until after the draft.
24. Jake Long (Miami Dolphins)
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Long was a first-team Pro Bowler in 2010 and is certainly worthy of the nomination. But the team has to factor into this.
And while Long may anchor the Dolphins' offensive line, he can’t push this pile far enough to make a difference. He’s paired head-to-head against Mark Sanchez.
The Dolphins still don’t beat the Jets.
23. Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers)
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Is Big Ben that toxic? Jerome Harrison? This is an interesting choice to represent the defending AFC champions.
Ward has been Mr. Clutch with the Steelers, and that’s reflected in his No. 2 seed, but past Madden nominees seem to lean towards stars with careers on the rise. Entering his 14th year, Ward doesn’t fit that bill.
Are we calling that a rule? More a guideline.
22. Tim Tebow (Denver Broncos)
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We now get to the cult hero part of our rankings. It’s the only category that would include Tebow.
Look, this is not a knock on Tebow. It’s just not a ringing endorsement. He played in just nine games last year, and only started three. Wait and see. He’s in an interesting 11-6 matchup with Jamaal Charles.
21. Danny Woodhead (New England Patriots)
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Danny Woodhead was one of the great stories in 2010. But does 97 carries for 547 yards put you on the cover of Madden? I don’t think so.
But here’s the kicker: Woodhead’s a four-seed against Stevie Johnson of the Bills. Tebow is an 11-seed against Jamaal Charles.
We’ll let the fans decide.
20. Peyton Hillis (Cleveland Browns)
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And speaking of cult heroes, Hillis has become a fan favorite and a scoring machine for Fantasy players. The question in Cleveland is with the expected return of Montario Hardesty from a knee injury, will Hillis even be the starter?
That keeps him down in these rankings, but maybe not for long. Browns fans have an opportunity to vent their frustration and advance the 10-seed Hillis ahead of the 7-seed Ray Rice of the hated Ravens.
19. Brian Orakpo (Washington Redskins)
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A mini-run on defensive players starts here.
Orakpo’s 19.5 sacks in two seasons shows why he was a coveted draft choice and a keeper in any Fantasy league. But he’s got other big names in this category.
Be patient Brian, your day is coming.
18. Dwight Freeney (Indianapolis Colts)
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Seems a little high. Seems a little low. So, I’ll just say this seems to be the right spot.
Statistically, he’s a little behind DeMarcus Ware. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is once again happy to avoid the Madden jinx.
17. Patrick Willis (San Francisco 49ers)
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The 49ers had a disappointing year, but that can’t be said of Willis.
He’s truly come into his own. A surprising seventh-seed may mean he still is under the radar in terms of fan recognition.
16. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans)
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The more impressive Johnson looks, the more you have to be disappointed in the Texans and their inability to reach the playoffs.
So here’s my fourth rule: The player featured on Madden12 has to come from a playoff team.
Playoffs? You’re talking about playoffs? Couldn’t resist.
15. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars)
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Netting 1,324 yards on a torn meniscus makes it hard to put Jones-Drew down this low. However, his Twitter comments about Jay Cutler bring to mind that in order to play hurt in the playoffs, you have to get there.
It might not be his fault, but the Jaguars didn’t get it done.
14. DeMarcus Ware (Dallas Cowboys)
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I have to admit Ware’s 2010 season flew under my radar.
Maybe it was because of the Cowboys awful start. He led the NFL with 15.5 sacks, leading many to call him the best pass rusher in the game today. Furthermore, I look for Ware to thrive under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Hard to see how he was a 14-seed in the bracket pool.
13. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings)
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Is the window closing for the Vikings? That question is reason enough to keep AP out of the top 10.
Surprisingly, he’s a 9-seed going up against Julius Peppers. Maybe other fans are wondering about AP as well.
12. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)
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What might be more impressive than Johnson posting over 4,500 yards in 3 seasons is the 34 times he’s visited the end zone.
Here's the question: Are you a buyer or a seller on the Titans? Or try this one. If a 2,000-yard season couldn’t put him on the cover, what does he have to do?
11. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles)
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If you’ve read this far, you may be quick to jump on me for breaking my own rule. But when Vick adorned the cover of Madden04, many of the kids who will want the 2012 version for Christmas were in diapers.
Think about it. He has a story line that is compelling, and so far he’s backing it up on the field. And for anyone who may look to his past, I have two words for you: Ray Lewis.
You’ll recall Lewis was the cover athlete for Madden05.
10. Jamaal Charles (K.C. Chiefs)
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If there’s a template for a Madden cover athlete, Jamaal Charles seems to be a perfect fit.
He’s entering his fourth year. His stats have improved every year. He’s playing for a team that is on the rise. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes deep as a six-seed.
9. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens)
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Some will argue Charles over Ray Rice, and in the brackets, he’s seeded lower. But the Ravens are a perennial playoff team, and Rice is a key reason why.
He’s not the Ravens only back, but with 1,220 yards last season, he continues to be their most valuable one.
8. Sam Bradford (St. Louis Rams)
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The NFL is a quarterback league, and this section is reserved for some young guns who are making a name for themselves.
Bradford showed why he was the number one overall pick by throwing for over 3,500 yards without a true No. 1 receiver. He’s getting props in the bracket too as a solid number eight-seed.
What might hold him back is that Pat Shurmur, his offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, is now the head coach for the Cleveland Browns.
7. Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
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Freeman is what a lot of scouts and general managers are hoping Cam Newton will become, at the very least.
He’s young, athletic and plays for a team that may be up and coming in 2012. But without a playoff game yet on his resume, we can’t move him up.
6. Ndamukong Suh (Detroit Lions)
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Suh is an impact player who, given this hit on Jake Delhomme in the preseason, has a bit of a nasty streak to him. Add to that his ability to kick in a pinch, and you have a player who is living up to the considerable hype that surrounded his No. 2 overall selection.
The problem? He plays for the Lions, and so while he may have a fun name to say, he’s not a household name…yet.
5. Phillip Rivers (San Diego Chargers)
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Last year, we saw the limits of how far Rivers could carry the Chargers.
He threw for over 4,700 yards. He had 30 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions. He had a quarterback rating over 100.
And, the Chargers still didn’t make the playoffs.
Like a lot of teams in the AFC West, the Chargers have their share of questions, but quarterback is not one of them. The absence of the playoffs is the only reason Rivers is this low.
4. Mark Sanchez (New York Jets)
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Two years, two trips to the AFC Championship Game.
Quarterbacks get the credit when teams win and the blame when they lose. I don’t know what Mark Sanchez will ultimately be, but right now you have to say he’s a winner.
3. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)
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Matty Ice. That nickname alone makes him Madden-worthy.
And then you watch him play.
The playoff game against the Packers was not his best (five sacks, two picks), but the Falcons look to be a team to be reckoned with in 2011, and Ryan will be a big part of that.
2. Julius Peppers (Chicago Bears)
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It’s not as if he lost anything in Carolina. But he seemed to play with a renewed enthusiasm in Chicago.
What puts Peppers near the top for me is hearing veteran players like Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs talk about him making a very good defense even better.
That’s a quality that makes him worthy of the nomination.
1. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)
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Yes it’s boring. It’s chalk. But why overthink it?
This is about more than a quarterback who wins the Super Bowl and is named MVP. It’s the way he did it against three of the NFL’s top defenses.
He’s arrived.
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