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25 NCAA players that could appear on a future Madden NFL cover

By Roje Smith

Nov 7, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Madden NFL 17 released last month with New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski on the cover. It’s an honor that players dream about and these 25 NCAA athletes have the best shot at gracing a future cover.

Madden NFL, previously known as John Madden Football, is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time, selling well over 100 million copies and averaging over five million annually. Former greats such as Marshall Faulk and Ray Lewis have appeared on the game’s cover. Additionally, while current greats such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Adrian Peterson have more recently graced the box.

Despite the alleged “Madden Curse”, most players consider it an honor to be the game’s feature athlete. For every Shaun Alexander and Vince Young, there’s been a Drew Brees and the recently retired Calvin Johnson. As such, it’s a dream come true for young players to receive news that he will be the next cover boy for Madden.

Of course, the Madden franchise always chooses a current or former NFL player for its cover. But it’s never too early to speculate about which current college players might one day receive the honor. There are a lot of exciting players out there, and some could grace a Madden cover right now.

The criteria for this list is simple: The players must currently play college football, and strong verbal commitments from elite high-school players don’t count. Therefore, future Alabama star Najee Harris will not appear on this list, since he’s not in college yet.

With that, let’s take a look at the top 25 NCAA players that may grace the cover of a future Madden NFL.

Getty Images
Getty Images /

25. Raekwon McMillan – LB – Ohio State Buckeyes

McMillan was the 2013 High School Butkus Award winner so he clearly has tremendous upside. In 2015, he played alongside excellent prospects in Darron Lee and Joshua Perry. Both of them are now rookies in the NFL (for the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers respectively). This means that McMillan is “the man” for the Buckeyes’ LB corps in 2016.

Raekwon, named after the Wu-Tang Clan rapper,  finished last season with 119 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. Expectations are even higher for him this season and he is more than ready to exceed them. He was also a Butkus Award finalist for the 2015 season and is the only returning finalist for 2016. As such, he’s a strong favorite to snag the award in 2016.

McMillan is also expected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft and excel at the next level. He seems destined to become a star on Sundays and has one of the best football names in recent memory. More importantly, he has a strong chance to become the first LB to grace the game cover since Ray Lewis on Madden NFL 2005.

Next: 24. A Flashy Husky

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