5 NFL stars who could be on the Madden 22 cover

3. Potential Madden 22 cover stars: Aaron Donald, DT, Rams

The Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is not only making a case to be the best defensive player in the NFL right now but is having one of the best careers ever for a defensive player. At just 29 years old, Donald has already won two AP Defensive Player of the Year Awards, has made the Pro Bowl in all six seasons in the NFL and is a five-time consecutive 1st Team All-Pro honoree. Five years in a row he’s been named to the NFL’s Top 100 list, culminating in being named the No. 1 player in 2019.

Frankly, if it was not for the record-breaking season that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes put together in 2018, Donald and his 20.5-sack season, from the interior defensive line, likely would have already earned Madden-cover honors.

A “down year” of only 12.5 sacks in 2019, coupled with a tremendous Baltimore Ravens season and a relatively lackluster Rams performance propelled Lamar Jackson to the 2021 cover. But, a small uptick in team success this year, coupled with a continuation of EA choosing not to use superstars more than once, should certainly make Donald a viable candidate for the 2022 cover.

The company has only placed three defensive players on the cover in the game’s 30-year history of the franchise; but Donald fits the bill to go along with them – he’s the best player in the history of the NFL at the defensive tackle position so if the NFL is going defense (based on their history, they are soon), Donald is the guy.