With EA Sports’ college football video game making its long-awaited return this summer, there’s been no shortage of leaked information promoting the game’s release. The most recent tidbit was a top 100 list of the game’s best players, a list that included six standouts from Alabama.
Redshirt center in the second year Parker Brailsford (32nd place overall) and graduate security Malachi Moore (No. 35) topped the list for the Tide with 92 total ratings. Guards Tyler Booker (No. 43) and Jaeden Roberts (No. 60) both achieved an overall rating of 91, solidifying the Tide’s dominant offensive line.
Redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Milroe (No. 71) and Redshirt Junior Inside Linebacker Deontae Lawson (No. 76) received an overall rating of 90. Milroe and Lawson, who may be the captains of the offense and defense, respectively, will play important leadership roles on the 2024 team.
While it is very impressive that Bama has six players in the top 100, there are some points of contention for Bama fans.
The fact that the Tide doesn’t have a player in the top 30 despite being arguably the most talented team in the sport is certainly interesting. According to 247Sports’ team talent composite, the Tide had the most talent by a wide margin in 2023 before adding another top-tier draft pick in 2024. You’d expect a team this loaded, fresh off an SEC championship and a playoff berth, to have a top-30 player.
Additionally, Alabama would have only one first-team All-American according to these rankings. Washington native Parker Brailsford is the highest-ranked center in the game and would therefore receive that honor.
Although Malachi Moore gets due respect in this ranking, he is listed behind several other talented safeties, including former Bama star Caleb Downs. Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts are both highly rated as guards, but Georgia’s Tate Ratledge and Jacksonville State’s Clay Webb would be EA’s first-team guards.
For reference, the Walter Camp Football Foundation nominates Booker and kicker Graham Nicholson for the first team, while placing Brailsford and punter James Burnip on the second team.
While the six Alabama winners certainly deserve their awards, it feels like some names are unfairly left off EA’s Top 100 list.
Junior Linebacker Jihad Campbell showed dominant tendencies last season and probably deserves a mention. Defensive Tackle Tim Keenan III was also very productive last year and should have at least been seriously considered. Even the second-year offensive tackle Kadyn Proctorwho struggled in 2023, showed a lot of potential that made him look like a future first-round pick out of high school. In the second half of the regular season, he looked like a force at left tackle who could have easily been a top-100 returner.
Kickers Graham Nicholson and Punters James Burnip are two of the best in the country at their respective positions. While it can be difficult to determine where specialists should be on a list like this, one could argue that these two game-changing players should have made the list.
Some players, like running backs Jam Miller And Judge Haynes and wide receivers Bernard Germéhave simply not produced enough to make such a list. However, their production does not reflect their talent. All three of these offensive weapons could be top-100 players at the end of the season. Even first-year wide receiver Ryan Williamswho has never participated in a college snap could prove to be one of the best in the sport in 2024.
Of course, preseason player rankings have to rely more on proven performance than potential, and while they may be exciting to watch for impatient players, these rankings shouldn’t be taken too seriously with the real 2024 college football season in mind.
