The annual Madden player ratings have become something of a summer tradition in advance of the upcoming football season, and this year was no different.
The ratings dropped earlier this month, and unsurprisingly, Kansas City Chiefs' safety Eric Berry was ranked as the top strong safety in the game.
Berry owns an overall rating of 96 in this year's edition of the popular video game, ahead of fellow strong safeties Malcolm Jenkins (94) and Micah Hyde (92). Berry was rated as the second-best safety overall, just one point behind the Minnesota Vikings' Harrison Smith (97).
| Player | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison Smith | Minnesota Vikings | 97 |
| Eric Berry | Kansas City Chiefs | 96 |
| Earl Thomas | Seattle Seahawks | 95 |
| Malcolm Jenkins | Philadelphia Eagles | 94 |
| Tyrann Mathieu | Houston Texans | 93 |
Here's what the folks over at Madden, who have been breaking down each position group over the course of the month, had to say about Kansas City's All-Pro safety:
Eric Berry is back. The Chiefs started last season by smacking the defending champs in the jaw, and Berry shutting down Gronk wasn't only critical to that upset, but it was one of the best defensive performances we'll likely ever see. Unfortunately, it ended with a Berry injury that totaled his season. He looks ready to go this year, and a 90 Speed means he's noticeably faster than Smith's 87. Berry tops this list with a 93 Jump to go along with his 91 in Man and 95 in Zone Coverage. Berry can also do some damage after a turnover, with an 83 Spin and 87 Juke.
The nine-year veteran will be back on the field in 2018 after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in last year's season-opener. He's earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in each of his five healthy seasons as a professional and seemed to take his game to another level in 2016, matching a career-high with four interceptions.
In addition to Berry, who was the Chiefs' top-rated player, here's a look at the five other members of Kansas City's roster that checked in with a rating of 85 or above.
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Eric Berry (SS) | 96 |
| Travis Kelce (TE) | 95 |
| Justin Houston (OLB) | 90 |
| Kareem Hunt (HB) | 89 |
| Tyreek Hill (WR) | 87 |
| Chris Jones (DE) | 87 |
Kelce, who tallied a second-straight season with at least 1,000 yards through the air in 2017, is the game's second-best tight end behind the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski (99).
Hill, meanwhile, is rated as the fastest player in the game with a "speed rating" of 98. The second-year player has certainly displayed that speed on the field throughout his brief career, showing off his aptitude for the big play on a fairly routine basis.
In fact, Hill has averaged a ridiculous 51 yards per score on his 20 career touchdowns, prompting NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah to cite the former fifth-round pick as the most explosive player in the league.
Check out the rest of this year's ratings by clicking here.
