Madden 25 Cover: Power Ranking Title Favorites

Any current NFL stars hoping to grace the next cover of the EA Sports iconic Madden franchise better start hoping for next year. 

With the inclusion of some of the legends of the NFL in the voting to determine the cover of Madden 25, there is no way a current player is going to win. The novelty of voting for some of the game's greats is too much to ignore. 

Feel free to check out the full bracket, where you can also vote, on ESPN.com, and let me know what you think of my power rankings for the next face of this popular franchise. 

No. 3: Jerry Rice 

The unquestioned greatest receiver of all time, unless you're asking Randy Moss, is going to be tough to beat. 

Jerry Rice is currently battling Michael Strahan in the third round. He will easily move past this matchup, and then things will get heated as he will take on the winner of the Deion Sanders-Troy Aikman matchup. 

I can see Sanders giving Rice a run for his money, but the Rice mystique will win out in the end, and he will win the second of two Old School brackets. However, that is where he is likely headed to a matchup with one of our next two contestants, and that is where Rice's run will come to an end. 

No. 2: Joe Montana

On to the man who helped make Rice a legend, or was it the other way around? We could get lost in that chicken-or-egg argument for a while, but we have more important things to discuss—like video games. 

Joe Montana is going up against Dan Marino in the third round, and just like he did in Super Bowl 19, he is going to take down his longtime foe. 

When it comes to quarterback legends, Marino definitely belongs, but he is not in the same class as Montana. After all, Montana is 4-0 in Super Bowls, and his highlights can be found in montages everywhere as the Super Bowl approaches each season. 

While Montana will cruise past Marino, this is when Montana's ride will come to an end.

No. 1: Barry Sanders

Has there ever been another player in the NFL who's posted as many highlights featuring moves that only should be possible in a video game as Barry Sanders? I think not. 

While Sanders doesn't have a list of accomplishments to match our previous two players, he was the most awe-inducing of them all. 

Sanders could change directions without slowing down in a series of moves that could break the ankles of people merely watching him juke helpless defenders. 

Also, while Sanders abruptly retired after 10 NFL seasons, and has kept a relatively low profile in retirement, this has only helped fuel his mystique. We also have no images of an aging and diminished Sanders to tarnish any of his spectacular highlights. 

All of this will lead to Barry Sanders gracing the cover of Madden 25.