Finally, you can play as Michigan football in a video game again.
It’s been just under a month since EA Sports College Football 25 made its long-awaited return to sports gaming.
Of course, the Wolverines are a prominent team in the game and a focus of its marketing rollout, including cover athlete Donovan Edwards.
However, the reigning national champions are an 89 team overall – third-best in the Big Ten and ninth in the country.
Still, the roster includes the best overall player and the best defensive tackle duo in the game with two diverse & unpredictable playbooks.
Since we’ve had a month to play around with the game, I wanted to break down my favorite Wolverines to play with on CFB 25 (so far*).
* EA will update the rosters throughout the regular season, so this list is fluid
Top 6 Michigan Football Players in EA Sports CFB 25
Below, I break down my list of the best Michigan players in CFB 25 from best to worst.
How I Picked These Players
I went through a rigorous process to decide which players are truly the best.
Here’s everything I tested across over 100 different games, each on a scale of 1-5 then combined for a total composite score:
- 📊 OP Meter: How “OP” – a fancy way of saying overpowered, I guess – the player is in the game (ratings-based).
- 📊 Rating Meter: Number of equipped abilities (four tiers, bronze-platinum) weighted with position-specific KPI scores
- 📊 GameBreaker Meter: Explosive play rate with weighted scores late in close games (gameplay only).
- 📊 WYD Meter: How many times did I yell “What are YOU doing?” at the fictional video game character?
On top of this rating, we considered these factors in scoring our OP & abilities meters:
- Positional Value: How important is their position? And how many players in the game are better at that position?
- Key Performance Indicators: If you’re into KPIs, you’ll understand why we focused on certain ratings for each player. For example, a WR KPI (speed) is different than a LB’s (zone coverage).
- Rating vs. Play: Mostly ignoring overalls and focusing on the production in-game
- In the end, this didn’t matter because the best players are simply the best players in most cases in this game.
Lastly, some quick notes so you’re fully informed before we dive in:
- Scale includes decimals up to 5.0
- Higher the score, higher the rating
- WYD Meter subtracts from the total
- Tracking was mostly anecdotal
- Offense line not included (no user control)
- Special teams scores are low given far fewer plays
Honorable Mentions
We kept a list of every player on our shortlist following evaluations that didn’t make the final group.
Here are our honorable mentions, in order:
6. MLB Jaishawn Barham (87 OVR)
Honestly, Rod Moore or Kenneth Grant probably belongs here but the data is the data. Jaishawn Barham, the ninth-best MLB in the game, outscored Moore because he made a ton of interceptions (user, of course) over the middle & open-field tackles in a game where they often feel impossible – though, the update helped.
Some linebackers move stiff in the game but Barham is smooth with 86 Speed and dangerous with 93 Play Recognition & 90 Pursuit. His AI defending can be suspect with low coverage ratings, but if you like to user your middle linebacker, this is YOUR guy. The only drawback is his lack of abilities, with only two bronze.
📊 OP Meter: 2.8
📊 Rating Meter: 2.0
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 4.7
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: -0.5
📈KPIs: 93 Play Recognition, 90 Pursuit, 87 Hit Power
📉 Weaknesses: Pass coverage attributes hurt his AI coverage
🏈 Positional Value: Highly impactful position, 9th overall MLB
🔥 Score: 9.0/15
5. WR Semaj Morgan (80 OVR)
While the sophomore Semaj Morgan has only two abilities and is 17 points worse than the second-lowest-rated player on this list, trust me, he belongs in this spot. His abilities (Shifty and Takeoff) are both bronze, but combined with his movement attributes, you get a threat all over the field. I mean, look at these numbers:
- 93 Speed
- 95 Agility
- 95 Acceleration
- 94 Change of Direction
- 94 Jumping
- 88 Juke Move
- 84 Spin Move
Get the ball in his hands! You can use him in the Jet Sweep game and utilize the attention he brings on motions as a runner, receiver, or decoy. He’s scored for me on handoffs, screens, fly routes, out routes, posts, and drags. His GameBreaker Meter is truly broken. Note: His release is poor and he’ll occasionally fumble on big hits, sparking the WYD?! Alarm.
📊 OP Meter: 4.4
📊 Rating Meter: 2.5
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 5.0
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: -2.5
📈 KPIs: 94 Change of Direction, 93 Speed, 95 Acceleration
📉 Weaknesses: 71 Release so he doesn’t get off the LOS well vs press
🏈 Positional Value: Low, lots of higher rated WR in the game
🔥 Score: 9.4/15
4. HB Donovan Edwards (91 OVR)
Donooo! The cover boy Donovan Edwards has five abilities (3 physical, 2 mental), including a platinum Safety Valve which gives him the “ultimate ability to win vs. man coverage and secure catches.” This weighed heavily on the scale given the amount I either checked down to him on a key 3rd down or hit him on a play-action wheel route.
Despite the hype, Edwards is outside the Top 10 RBs and fourth-best in the Big Ten. While he’s not the best in the game – there’s a clear separation between how good Quinshon Judkins & Ollie Gordon are compared to him – the Michigan playbook is designed to utilize him/Orji in short-yardage carries (94 Vision) that lead to explosive (96 acceleration + Takeoff ability) big plays.
Bonus: Edwards very sneakily has 77 Throw Power, an ode to his one passing attempt per season (touchdown inlcuded). Add the shotgun set “Wide Slot Right Wk” and add the play “Mtn Double Pass” to use Dono’s arm.
📊 OP Meter: 3.5
📊 Rating Meter: 4.0
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 4.5
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: –1.8
📈 KPIs: 93 Play Recognition, 90 Pursuit, 87 Hit Power
📉 Weaknesses: Lacks the OP skill moves you get with Judkins/Gordon
🏈 Positional Value: Medium, 12th-best overall RB but lots of parity at the position 10-20
🔥 Score: 10.2/15
3. TE Colston Loveland (92 OVR)
Colston Loveland is a sure thing in the NFL. To put him in this game – against children, mind you – is unfair. He is unarguably the best and highest-rated tight end in the game. He doesn’t have a platinum ability yet, but I’d look out for one down the road if he produces in-season. For now, he comes with four abilities (1 gold, 3 silver), including Gold 50/50 (boost on deep jump balls) and Cutter (route running boost vs man coverage).
As a vertical threat, Loveland is the complete package. He has the skills to play the sure-handed tight end role (88-92 catching attributes + 84-86 short-medium route attributes), but also the athleticism to get a Travis Kelce-type target share as the star of your offense with 87 Speed, 91 Acceleration, 88 Vision, and 80 Juke. Just make sure he’s not your blocking tight end.
📊 OP Meter: 4.8
📊 Rating Meter: 3.75
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 4.4
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: 0.0
📈 KPIs: 93 Spectacular Catch, 87 Speed, 88 Catching, 86 Short Route Run
📉 Weaknesses: 61 Pass Block, 59 Run Block (try to avoid using him as your lead)
🏈 Positional Value: Highest, No. 1-rated tight end in the game
🔥 Score: 10.2/15
2. DT Mason Graham (95 OVR)
Mason Graham is not No. 1 on our scale, but he’s undoubtedly my favorite player in the game. He’s the second-highest-rated player on the roster – one point behind the winner of this list – and he’s the top-rated defensive tackle in the entire game. His 95 Power Move & 97 Block Shedding are both best at the position. More importantly, these two attributes translate strongly in-game as he constantly makes GameBreaker plays with sacks, forced fumbles, and TFLs.
He’s equipped with a ridiculous seven (7) Platinum abilities, plus one (1) Gold. How powerful are they? He has the highest attribute boost possible in the game for pass rush (added boost on 3rd/4th down), inside runs, strip sacks, block shedding, and an ability that prevents broken tackles on sacks. He also has three mental abilities that give him the ultimate boost for his composure in home and away games, plus other defensive linemen’s composure.
Paired with Kenneth Grant, these two are unfair; however, Graham does enough alone to shut down a run game and make your opponent one-dimensional.
📊 OP Meter: 5.0
📊 Rating Meter: 5.0
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 4.8
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: -0.5
📈 KPIs: 97 Block Shedding, 96 Play Recognition, 95 Power Move
📉 Weaknesses: 78 Finesse Move, 85 tackling is too low for him
🏈 Positional Value: Highest, No. 1-rated defensive tackle
🔥 Score: 14.3/15
1. CB Will Johnson (96 OVR)
In the game, Johnson plays big at 6-2 but glides around the field with 92 Speed, 95 Acceleration, and 94 Agility. On top of his speed, what makes him so dangerous is his 91 Change of Direction complementing his absurd coverage ratings (97 Man, 96 Zone, 95 Press). Even if he’s beat on a route, his COD and SPD help him recover instantly. His only weakness is a (shockingly low considering his tape) 69 Tackling rating.
And we haven’t covered his abilities yet. Physically, he has Ultimate boosts to defending quick cuts in man coverage, press coverage at the LOS, breaking on a pass after it’s released, knocking the ball out on contested catches, preventing broken tackles after a catch, and Gold boosts to interceptions & interception returns. His mental boosts give him and other DBs added composure.
Johnson is truly a marvel in this game, putting up pick-sixes and big-moment interceptions galore for me. A strong-armed QB and elite WR can beat him in Man, but it’s few and far.
📊 OP Meter: 5.0
📊 Rating Meter: 5.0
📊 GameBreaker Meter: 4.9
📊 What Are You Doing! Meter: -0.3
📈 KPIs: 97 Man Coverage, 96 Zone Coverage, 95 Press
📉 Weaknesses: 69 Tackling makes him vulnerable in the open field
🏈 Positional Value: Highest, best player in the game across all positions
🔥 Score: 14.6/15
