Madden NFL 16 Player Ratings: Top 5 Safeties Revealed

You can find these players roaming the secondary, breaking up passes or delivering bone-crunching hits to opposing wide receivers while providing your team's last line of defense.  

And you'll have a chance to play as them with EA Sports' announcement of their top five safeties in the upcoming Madden 16. With heavy representation from the NFC champions, here is a look at where the game's best stack up:

Rank	Player	Team	Overall Rating	Notable Stat Ratings
1	Eric Weddle	San Diego Chargers	96	94 Play Recognition, 91 Zone Coverage, 84 Speed, 83 Tackle, 77 Hit Power
2	Earl Thomas III	Seattle Seahawks	95	96 Zone Coverage, 90 Speed, 75 Tackle
3	Kam Chancellor	Seattle Seahawks	94	97 Hit Power, 83 Speed, 85 Tackle
4	Devin McCourty	New England Patriots	94	96 Zone Coverage, 87 Man Coverage, 87 Play Recognition, 90 Speed
5	Harrison Smith	Minnesota Vikings	93	86 Speed, 85 Play Recognition, 92 Power, 92 Zone Coverage

The San Diego Chargers' Eric Weddle tops Madden 16's list of top safeties after a solid 2014 season. His 91 tackles were his highest total since 2008 when he recorded 105. 

His heart is far bigger than his 5'11", 200-pound frame as he is not afraid to clash with some of the game's largest players. Most of the time, he comes out on top, too. 

Looking up at him are a pair of Seattle Seahawks safeties that have made the Emerald City's defense one of the best the game has ever seen. 

While his interceptions were down, he had just one in 2014, Earl Thomas III had a career-high 88 tackles. But his ability to read the field is what makes him so invaluable, making him extremely worthy of his 96 zone-coverage rating. 

He's joined by teammate Kam Chancellor who is one point beneath Thomas in the Madden ratings. Chancellor has developed into one of the most feared hitters in the game, making those who think about going over the middle think twice before doing so. Which is why a 97 hit power rating is well-warranted. 

A member of the team who beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, the New England Patriots, have a member in the top five with Devin McCourty. One of the league's faster safeties, McCourty can play well in man coverage to go along with his zone-coverage capabilities. 

McCourty, like Thomas, Chancellor and Weddle, have all made appearances as Madden's top players in the past. But the fifth safety listed, Minnesota Vikings' Harrison Smith, is a newcomer. 

Smith used a career year in which he recorded personal bests with 71 tackles, 3.0 sacks and five interceptions. Entering his fourth NFL season, it's clear Smith has a bright future ahead of him. 

Whether you want to prevent your friend from going pass happy on your defense or if you just want to light up that one player you dislike, playing with these safeties will ensure that your defense is going to be locked down in Madden 16.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.