The Dallas Cowboys defense in Madden 25 leaves much to be desired. The defense has one of, if not the best, defenders in the league, but there isn’t much love for the defensive players after him.
The defense from top to bottom looks like a top-10 defense in real life. Madden 25, on the other hand, gave some pretty low rankings to defenders who had a great year last season.
Having said that, let’s look at the defensive ratings of the Dallas Cowboys defensive players. See what you think, and who would you give a higher rating to?
Defensive Ends
The defensive end position is home to the one and only Micah Parson. In Madden 25, he is listed as a right defensive end with a rating of 98.
On the opposite side of the line, at the left defensive end, he is one of the most underrated defensive players in the game. That player is none other than DeMarcus Lawrence, who is rated 91 overall.
After these two, the depth is pretty bad, as reflected in the ratings for the following players.
Sam Williams, who recently had a season-ending injury, is the third-best defensive end, with a rating of 75 overall.
Following Sam Williams, the defensive end position boasts a rookie in Marshawn Kneeland, rated 71.
Viliami Fehoko, the last defensive end, is rated 66. Due to depth issues, Fehoko could see extended looks in training camp, which could raise his rating slightly.
Defensive Tackles
The defensive tackles for the Dallas Cowboys could struggle in the game. The interior does not have a player with an 80 overall rating.
The top defensive tackle is Osa Odighizuwa, who is 78 overall. Next to Osa Odighizuwa on the line is Mazi Smith, who is 72 overall.
Chauncey Golston is the third defensive tackle with a rating of 70 overall. Carl Davis, with a 67, and Justin Rogers, with a 65, round out the defensive tackle room.
The struggle could be real by playing with the Dallas Cowboys and stopping the run in Madden 25.
Linebackers
The linebacker’s room doesn’t look much better than the defensive tackles. The Cowboys will field a mediocre linebacker core in Madden 25.
Eric Kendricks will wear the green dot on the field this season and has the highest linebacker rating at 81. This rating should increase as the season progresses.
Damone Clark, at 75, and Damien Wilson, at 71, are the next two linebackers on the list. As the season progresses, the next player on the list should leapfrog these two on the rating chart.
DeMarvion Overshown is rated 71 overall and will likely exceed that rating. This player has a lot of talent and could become the best linebacker by the end of the season.
Rookie Marist Liufau will begin the season at a 70, but he has the potential to earn a spot in the starting lineup as training camp progresses.
Rounding out the linebackers’ room are Buddy Johnson at 67 overall, UFL star Willie Harvey Jr. at 67 overall, and Tyrus Wheat at 62.
The group may not have a lot of star power, but the potential in this group is simply off the charts.
Cornerbacks
This position is severely underrated in Madden 25. Not a single player is rated over 89 overall, yet two of the players led the league in interceptions.
Topping the list for the cornerbacks room for the Dallas Cowboys is Trevon Diggs coming in at an 89 overall. Coming back from an injury is understandable, but this still feels low.
Daron Bland, who led the league in interceptions and set an NFL record for interceptions for touchdowns, did not get much love from Madden. His rating is an 88 overall at this point in the year.
The next player is Jourdan Lewis, one of the league’s best slot corners. He earned a 76 overall, which seems low for such an established player.
Gareon Conley, who was recently signed and then retired, earned a 71 overall rating.
The following few players didn’t break the 70 mark but are rookies and special teams players. One of the players, Caelen Carson, rated a 68, could quickly get into the 70s if he continues his impressive training camp.
Rounding out the cornerback room is C.J. Goodwin, rated 67; Eric Scott Jr., rated 67; Nahshon Wright, rated 67; and Josh DeBerry, way down at a 59 overall.
This is another potions group with room to grow.
Safeties
The safeties appear to be correctly ranked in Madden based on their performance last year. Their season could be described as good but not great.
The first safety up is free safety Malik Hooker, rated at 84 overall. This man has become a stalwart in the secondary and could raise his rating with solid play.
Donovan Wilson, at strong safety, is rated 81 overall, but his time could diminish if the youngsters under him get enough reps in training camp.
Markquese Bell, back at strong safety after a year hiatus at linebacker, is rated at 81 overall. Bell could usurp Donovan Wilson at the strong safety position.
Backups Israel Mukuamu, rated a 70, and Sheldrick Redwine, rated at a 68, will get some playing time but don’t expect their ratings to change much due to their lack of impactful plays.
Juanyeh Thomas, with a 66 overall, is turning heads again in training camp. If given a chance, he could be the starting free safety soon.
Special Teams
Special teams consist of two players who should have no competition in training camp or during the season.
With an overall rating of 82, Brandon Aubrey solidified the field goal unit. He earned First Team All-Pro, a Pro Bowl nod, and was the NFL scoring leader last year.
An 82 overall for one of the best kickers in the league is low. Madden’s ratings people need to rethink their decision on this rating.
Bryan Anger’s overall rating is 82. This player is Mr. Consistency, and he should also have a higher rating, but it is what it is.
The Dallas Cowboys defense did not get much love after being one of the best defenses in the NFL last year. As the season grinds on, the ratings of some of these players should increase.
As Madden and Cowboys fans wait for the game’s release, keep an eye on the player ratings. Training camp and the preseason will help many players out.