The Ohio State Buckeyes have long been a powerhouse in college Football, and their defensive prowess is equally impressive in the virtual world of EA Sports College Football. Since the mid-1990s, the Silver Bullets have captivated fans both on the field and in video game form. This article highlights the 48 Buckeyes who received a 90+
The Linebacker Legacy
Ohio State is renowned for producing exceptional linebackers, and this reputation is reflected in their video game ratings. The mid-2000s saw a remarkable trio of linebackers: A.J. Hawk (97)Anthony Schlegel (91) and Bobby Carpenter (90) in EA Sports College Football 06. This was the first and only time a trio of Buckeye linebackers received
The first Ohio State linebacker to achieve a 90+ rating was Andy Katzenmoyer with a 97 in EA Sports College Football 08 (classic 1998 roster). The most recent linebacker to reach this milestone was Sonny Styles (90) in EA Sports College Football 26. James Laurinaitis current linebacker coach, holds the all-time high
Linebacker Superlatives
Looking at the superlatives, three categories stand out: agilityawareness and tackle. The 100 rating is a rare accomplishment, and three Ohio State linebackers have achieved it four times. In the offensive realm, only Orlando Pace and Korey Stringer made it to 100, Pace in strength and Stringer with pass blocking.
The Cornerback Elite
A Buckeye cornerback has earned a 90+ Chimdi Chekwa and Malcolm Jenkins are the only Ohio State cornerbacks to reach this number in two different games. Chekwa was a 94 in EA Sports College Football 11 and a 90 in EA Sports College Football 10. Jenkins was an impressive 97 in EA Sports College Football 09 and a 94 in EA Sports College Football 08.
EA’s rating system considers Chris Gamble as the program’s best cornerback, as the two-way player earned a 99 in EA Sports College Football 04 on the defensive side of the ball. An interesting side note: 74 is the highest EA rating for Ohio State’s first Thorpe Award winner, Antoine Winfield which is on the classic 1998 roster in EA Sports College Football 08.
Cornerback Superlatives
Shawn Springs earned a 100 in speed and is the last Ohio State player to earn triple digits in a superlative category. This rating likely allowed you to play with Springs and make a mistake, or a slip, in the secondary and still have the speed to stop the opposing wide receiver.
The Safety Standouts
Ten safeties make 12 appearances on the 90-or-above rating list. Mike Doss and Caleb Downs are the players making the list twice, with the exceptional players being the highest and second-highest-rated Buckeye safeties in the game’s history. Doss earned a 98 in EA Sports College Football 03, but for some reason was bumped down to a 94 on the 2002 classic roster in EA Sports College Football 08. Downs had a 96 in EA Sports College Football 26 and a 95 in EA Sports College Football 25.
The other eight safeties with 90+ ratings are: Terry Moore (90, EA 26)Christian Bryant (92, EA 14)Kurt Coleman (94, EA 10)Anderson Russell (90, EA 10) and Brandon Mitchell.
Ohio State’s Highest-Rated Defensive Players
Here are the highest-rated defensive players in Ohio State’s EA Sports College Football history:
- DEMike Vrabel (99)
- DTTim Anderson (94)Dexter Larimore (94)
- DEWill Smith (96)
- LBJames Laurinaitis (98)A.J. Hawk (97)Andy Katzenmoyer (97)
- CBChris Gamble (99)Malcolm Jenkins (97)
- SMike Doss (98)Caleb Downs (96)
- PAndy Groom (99)
