It was always a fairly safe bet the Luke Kuechly would be the best middle linebacker in Madden NFL 16, but just how far ahead he is will surely cause other fanbases to freak out. The Panthers linebacker is often overlooked for his no-nonsense play style and lack of pass rushing, but that isn't a concern for EA Sports. Ratings were released over the weekend and Kuechly is a stellar 96 overall.
Here's what EA Sports had to say about Kuechly:
"Nobody runs opposing players down better than Kuechly, who brings 99 Pursuit and 98 Tackle. His coverage skills are top notch with 85 ZCV/70 MCV/72 CTH and 98 Play Recognition."
Navorro Bowman is next at 93 overall, which isn't terrible -- but Madden player will tell you that there is a BIG difference in three points of overall rating. For example, the top-rated quarterback is the game (Aaron Rodgers) is five points ahead of the FIFTH ranked QB (Andrew Luck).
This is the full list of the Top 5 linebackers:
1. Luke Kuechly (96 overall)
2. Navorro Bowman (93 overall)
3. Bobby Wagner (92 overall)
4. Clay Matthews (90 overall)
5. Daryl Smith (90 overall)
Greg Olsen got love too! The Panthers tight end is the third-best in the game with an impressive 92 overall. This year's game is going to be fun.