The several defensive positions house some of the most talented players in all of Madden 23. From the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in T.J. Watt to the new crop of young studs, like Micah Parsons, the future of defense in the NFL is in good hands.
This week, EA is revealing a rating for every player in Madden 23 in addition to putting a spotlight on the top 10 players at each position. Unlike the offensive positions, like wide receivers and tight ends, we’ve decided to put the top 10 at each defensive position into one article so fans can easily browse all of them. We’ll be updating this article every time a new defensive position’s ratings are revealed. First up are the edge rushers, which actually include both defensive ends and linebackers.
Top Defensive Players In Madden 23
We’ll be listing the top 10 players at each defensive position as they are revealed throughout the week. These lists will solely be based on each player’s OVR rating, so even though one player might have a stronger single stat than another player, they still could be rated lower.
Edge Rushers
The edge rushers are the first defensive group that was revealed by EA. This position houses some of the most talented defensive players in football, including the likes of new 99 Club member Myles Garrett and incumbent top 10 member Von Miller. Fans can check out the rating for every single edge rusher in Madden 23 by going to EA’s website and view the top 10 players at the edge rusher position below.
- Myles Garrett – 99 OVR
- T.J. Watt – 96 OVR
- Fred Warner – 94 OVR
- Nick Bosa – 94 OVR
- Demario Davis – 93 OVR
- Khalil Mack – 92 OVR
- Lavonte David – 92 OVR
- Von Miller – 92 OVR
- Bobby Wagner – 91 OVR
- Cameron Jordan – 91 OVR
This was easily the most controversial ratings reveal yet. While few people can argue against Myles Garrett’s 99 OVR rating, many Madden fans are in an uproar over T.J. Watt’s 96 OVR rating. Watt is the reigning DPOY and totaled a league-high 22.5 sacks last season. It appears, at least to start the season, that EA is predicting a decline in production from Watt. The rest of the list features some veteran top 10 edge rushers, including Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Bobby Wagner, and Cameron Jordan. The San Francisco 49ers also have to be feeling good about the future of their defense with both Fred Warner and Nick Bosa sitting at 94 OVR. The New Orleans Saints also have two players in the top 10, Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan. Davis had an underrated season in 2021, and Madden rewarded the middle linebacker with the fifth highest edge rusher rating.
After Cameron Jordan’s 91 OVR, there are four others with a 90 OVR or above rating. This includes Joey Bosa, who is tied with Jordan at 91 OVR. Chandler Jones, Darius Leonard, and Demarcus Lawrence are the remaining players in the 90s. Some fans certainly feel there were some snubs with these ratings, which only started with T.J. Watt. The Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, who earned Second-Team All Pro and Pro Bowl honors last season, is only at 87 OVR to start the season, for example. However, EA will certainly continue to evaluate the players throughout training camp and the start of the season, so fans should expect some movement after Madden 23 releases in August.
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