Ranking Every EA Sports College Football Video Game Cover Athlete (2024)

The much-anticipated release of EA Sports College Football 25 has arrived, officially marking the return of the beloved game.

And the roots of the franchise date back three decades.

First introduced as Bill Walsh College Football in 1993—think Sega Genesis days—the game first featured a cover athlete in 1997. That honor went to Nebraska star Tommie Frazier and has since featured dozens more, including Michigan's Donovan Edwards, Texas' Quinn Ewers and Colorado's Travis Hunter for the 2025 edition.

This ranking is subjective but based on each individual's production and accomplishments in college only.

28. Owen Schmitt (2009)

In three seasons at West Virginia, Owen Schmitt rushed for 1,003 yards, caught 32 passes for 288 yards and totaled 15 touchdowns. The fullback adorned the cover of the PSP version in 2009.

27. Travis Hunter (2025)

Check back in a year, and Travis Hunter probably will have ascended on the list. The two-way standout began his career at Jackson State, followed Deion Sanders to Colorado and played well in his first FBS season. Hunter collected 57 receptions for 721 receiving yards and five touchdowns while providing 30 tackles and three interceptions at cornerback.

26. Donovan Edwards (2025)

As a sophom*ore, Donovan Edwards put up nearly 1,200 scrimmage yards for Michigan. Then, he rushed for two scores in the 2023 season's national championship win over Washington. Entering his senior year, Edwards has posted 2,376 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns.

25. Quinn Ewers (2025)

After a redshirt year at Ohio State, Quinn Ewers transferred to Texas. So far, he'll be remembered for snapping the Longhorns' Big 12 title drought and leading UT to the College Football Playoff in 2023.

24. Brian Johnson (2010)

Brian Johnson started three seasons at Utah, headlined by the Utes' perfect 13-0 record in 2008. Utah opened the campaign with a win at Michigan and capped it with a triumph over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. That season, Johnson earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.

23. DeSean Jackson (2009)

The electrifying Cal product was part of the franchise's first shared cover in 2009. Before a superb NFL career, DeSean Jackson secured All-America recognition during the 2006 season when he surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and returned four punts for touchdowns.

22. Mark Sanchez (2010)

In his lone season as USC's starter, Mark Sanchez threw for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He helped the Trojans win a Pac-10 crown with a 12-1 record and finish third in the country.

21. Brian Orakpo (2010)

Brian Orakpo, the only cover athlete to exclusively play defense, starred at Texas in the late 2000s. The linebacker's peak season was in 2008; Orakpo notched 17.5 tackles for loss with 11.5 sacks and brought home the Nagurski, Lombardi and Hendricks Awards.

20. Shaun Alexander (2001)

A versatile and powerful running back, Shaun Alexander tallied 1,500-plus scrimmage yards in his last two seasons at Alabama. He landed SEC Player of the Year recognition and seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 1999.

19. Matt Ryan (2009)

Matt Ryan closed his Boston College career on a high note, ranking third nationally with 4,507 passing yards. Ryan helped the program match its all-time best of 11 victories and—like Alexander, eight years later—finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting.

18. Jared Zabransky (2008)

Part of why Boise State has become such a respected program is the Jared Zabransky era. A three-year starter, the QB oversaw WAC-winning teams in 2004, 2005 and 2006. That final season, Zabransky propelled the Broncos to a 13-0 record and epic Fiesta Bowl win—complete with the "Circus" hook-and-ladder and Statue of Liberty two-point conversion—over Oklahoma. EA Sports put both of those trick plays in the 2008 game because of Boise State.

17. Joey Harrington (2003)

Oregon claimed a share of the Pac-10 crown in 2000 and won it outright in 2001 behind Joey Harrington. In those two seasons, he threw for at least 2,400 yards and 20 touchdowns. As a senior, Harrington won Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and ended fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.

16. Denard Robinson (2014)

Sure, you might remember Denard Robinson for his playmaker moments at Michigan. After all, "Shoelaces" would run wild. For me and thousands more, he's the cover athlete of the last NCAA edition for a decade—and we kept our aging consoles alive to play that game.

15. Mark Ingram (2012)

The first Heisman Trophy winner of the list, Mark Ingram hoisted the coveted award in 2009. He amassed 1,658 rushing yards, 32 catches for 334 yards and 20 total touchdowns that season. Ingram tallied 3,931 scrimmage yards and 46 scores in three years at Alabama.

14. Carson Palmer (2004)

USC's ascent under Pete Carroll began with Carson Palmer's memorable 2002 campaign. While throwing for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns, he became the Trojans' first Heisman Trophy winner in 21 years.

13. Chris Weinke (2002)

Chris Weinke enjoyed an acceptable two-year run in 1999 and 2000, I would say. After guiding Florida State to a national title in 1999, he followed that up with a Heisman Trophy in 2000 (and FSU lost to Oklahoma in the championship game).

12. Michael Crabtree (2010)

Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree only needed two years to make a record-breaking impact. As a redshirt freshman in 2007, the wideout set the single-season I-A mark with 134 receptions—for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. Crabtree posted a 97/1,165/19 line in 2008, winning his second Biletnikoff Award and a second unanimous All-American billing.

11. Robert Griffin III (2013)

Baylor had been a Big 12 cellar-dweller for a decade when Robert Griffin III arrived in 2008. During his junior year, the program snapped a 17-year AP poll drought. As a senior—the season he won a Heisman—Baylor hit double-digit wins for the first time in 31 years.

10. Danny Wuerffel (1998)

One of the most accomplished QBs in the sport's history, Danny Wuerffel had a 10-win record with an SEC title in all four seasons at Florida. Most memorably, the Gators went 12-1 in 1996 and won a national title; Wuerffel tossed 39 touchdowns and played his way to a Heisman Trophy. He also finished third in Heisman voting as a junior.

9. Desmond Howard (2006)

Following a superb 1990 campaign with 858 receiving yards and nine scores, Michigan's Desmond Howard lit up the country in 1991. Late that season—one in which he caught 19 touchdowns, rushed for two and scored twice on special teams—Howard struck the famous Heisman Trophy pose on a clutch punt return against rival Ohio State.

As a freshman at Arkansas, Darren McFadden rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns. That was his worst college season.

McFadden left the Razorbacks with two runner-up finishes in Heisman voting, consensus All-American nods, Doak Walker Awards and SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. Additionally, the explosive running back landed the Walter Camp Award in 2007.

Along with throwing seven touchdowns and nearing 1,000 kick-return yards, McFadden scampered for 4,590 yards and 41 scores in college.

Larry Fitzgerald was an absolute nightmare to defend.

In his two seasons at Pitt, the future NFL star played 25 games. Fitzgerald caught a touchdown in 20 of them—and, for good measure, registered at least 64 yards in four of the remaining five contests.

Fitzgerald tallied 1,005 yards and 12 scores in 2002 before exploding for 1,672 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2003. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy race but earned the Biletnikoff Award, All-American recognition and Big East Offensive Player of the Year.

On statistics alone, Tommie Frazier would not be particularly high. He threw for 3,521 yards with 43 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and rushed for 1,955 yards and 36 scores in Nebraska's triple-option offense.

However, the program excelled with him.

Frazier guided Nebraska to Big Eight championships in all four seasons and a pair of national titles.

Though he missed much of 1994 because of a blood clot, Frazier returned for the Orange Bowl and won MVP of the game. He repeated the honor at the Fiesta Bowl after a runner-up Heisman Trophy finish in 1995.

Seriously, these numbers are absurd.

Including bowl stats, Ricky Williams had four 1,000-yard seasons at Texas. Even better, the running back surpassed 2,000 scrimmage yards with 25-plus scores in two of those years.

Williams finished fifth in the 1997 Heisman race before commanding the honor in a lopsided 1998 vote.

For his career, Williams rushed for 6,592 yards with 98 receptions for 988 yards and 79 total touchdowns.

Reggie Bush was an all-purpose highlight reel throughout his three exciting seasons at USC.

As a freshman, he totaled 835 scrimmage yards and 492 more as a kick returner. The next two seasons, Bush eclipsed 2,300 all-purpose yards with at least 15 total touchdowns in both years. He shattered USC's single-game record of 368 yards in his iconic 513-yard day against Fresno State in a thrilling 2005 contest.

Similar to Williams, Bush recorded a fifth-place Heisman finish (2004) prior to winning the award (2005). He was also a two-time All-American and won the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Awards in 2005.

Until the 1960s, two-way players were a common sight. The change to a two-platoon philosophy ultimately led to a defense-first player not winning a Heisman Trophy until 1997.

Hello, Charles Woodson.

Although he played a little receiver and returned punts for Michigan, Woodson primarily aligned at cornerback. He snagged 16 interceptions in his college career, including seven in his stellar 1997 season.

Woodson stacked his trophy case with a Heisman Trophy in addition to Nagurski, Bednarik, Thorpe and Walter Camp Awards, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American spot.

What a career for Tim Tebow.

During his freshman year, he provided a bulldozing short-yardage impact as Florida won a national title. Tebow took control of the offense as a sophom*ore and soon became a college football legend.

In 2007, the Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns while running for 895 yards and 23 scores. He finished third and fifth, respectively, in the next two Heisman races as Florida won an SEC title in 2008 and a division crown in 2009.

The left-hander added two Maxwell Awards with one O'Brien, Manning and SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Longevity is an important part of these rankings, but I cannot build an argument to not have Barry Sander—who appeared on NCAA Football 13 alongside RGIII following a fan vote—at No. 1.

The dude set 34 NCAA records in 1988.

In his first two years, Sanders backed up future NFL Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas. It's tough to fault Oklahoma State for not featuring Sanders, who still rushed for 603 yards and nine scores and returned two kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns in 1987.

Sanders obliterated box scores as a junior with a final line—including the Holiday Bowl—of 2,850 yards and 42 scores on the ground alone. He finished just shy of 3,500 all-purpose yards for the season.

In short: Completely and unequivocally preposterous.