The only thing more exciting for local college football players than being in EA Sports College Football 25 is knowing their rating.
The simulation video game, which released its deluxe edition Monday and will release to all consumers Thursday, has been on hiatus since 2014 due to lawsuits between the publisher, the NCAA and college athletes around compensation for their likenesses. With the athletes now able to profit off their name, image and likeness, that paved the way for the game to return. EA Sports College football 25 features 11,390 real players on the 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, some of whom grew up in MetroWest and the Milford area.
Each player is rated on a 0-100 scale in attributes like speed, strength, throwing, coverage, etc. Those scores combine for their overall rating, which shows how good a player is. Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II have the best rating in the game at 96. The worst players in the game hover around the mid 40s.
Here’s where the players from MetroWest and the Milford area grade out:
Josh Atwood, UMass center – 79
The senior from Natick is in his fifth college football season. He has started at center for the Minutmen for the past two seasons (24 games straight) after switching positions from nose guard. Atwood was named to Phil Steele’s All Independent second team, College Football Network All-Independent second team and New England Football Writer’s Association All-New England Team. His strength is a 94.
Greg Crippen, Michigan center – 79
The senior won a national championship last year and will be the Wolverines starting center in 2024. He is a pocket shield and can wear down opposing defensive lines. Crippen’s pass blocking rates an 85 and his strength an 88. The IMG Academy product from Northborough has played in 15 games in maize and blue and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
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Matt Ragan, Boston College tight end – 76
The Westborough native who played his high school football at Lawrence Academy excels at blocking. He has a quick drop into his stance and can get to the second level. His acceleration is an 87, and his jump is an 85. Ragan redshirted his freshman year after coming to the Eagles as a three-star prospect and the No. 1 tight end in Massachusetts. He played in one game a season ago and is currently third on the depth chart. His older brother Sean played at BC from 2016-19, while his dad John was an Eagle from 1988-90.
Sullivan Weidman, West Virginia guard – 75
The Franklin native is a redshirt sophomore left guard that played at Dexter Southfield in high school. He has an 89 strength with a tendency toward power. His impact blocking stat is an 85. Weidman appeared in eight games last year and featured in 31 plays against Duquesne.
Dominic Schofield, UMass linebacker – 68
The Minutemen’s backup left outside linebacker from Milford makes an impact on kick and punt coverages. He has an 86 acceleration and 82 jumping ability. Schofield had 14 tackles and a quarterback hurry in 11 appearances in 2023.
Nicholas Rinaldi, Vanderbilt linebacker – 67
The junior from Dover-Sherborn is listed third on the Commodore’s depth chart at right outside linebacker. The pass coverage linebacker typically plays on special teams coverage units. His best attribute is his acceleration at 84. Rinaldi played in all 12 Vanderbilt games last season and made 21 tackles, one for loss. He posted a career-high six tackles against Florida and grabbed an interception against UNLV.
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This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Which area athlete has the highest rating in College Football 25?
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