Predicting the Highest-Rated Gophers in EA Sports College Football 27

Who are Minnesota's best players heading into the 2026 college football season?

Image from the Gophers' walkout in EA Sports College Football 26 | Picture via: @tonyliebert (X)

The EA Sports College Football video game made its long-awaited return two summers ago, and it now releases an annual updated game like a traditional sports video game franchise. This year's game is scheduled to release in early July.

We did this same exercise last year, but let's try to predict who the top five highest-rated Gophers will be in this year's game.

1. Anthony Smith: 92 OVR

Smith will and should be the highest-rated Gophers player in the game. The question becomes, how high? He finished last season with 12.5 sacks, which tied for third-best in the entire country. He has a case to be one of the best returning defensive linemen in all of college football.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) against the New Mexico Lobos during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

2. Darius Taylor: 89 OVR

The top two players on this list shouldn't be much of a debate. Taylor has proven himself as a dynamic weapon whenever he touches the football, across three seasons of production. His only issue has been staying on the field. If he plays all 12 games in 2026, he could be one of the most productive running backs in the country.

Oct 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) celebrates his touchdown against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

3. Greg Johnson: 88 OVR

Johnson has already snuck into the first round of some 2026 NFL mock drafts. He has three seasons of starting experience in the Big Ten and nearly 2,000 snaps. He has improved every season, and he could be one of the best offensive linemen in the conference this season.

Sep 14, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) and offensive lineman Greg Johnson (65) celebrate their teams win against the Nevada Wolf Pack after the game at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

4. John Nestor: 86 OVR

Nestor was the definition of a playmaker last season with the Gophers. He had 50 total tackles, 6 interceptions and 6 PBUs. He looked like a true CB1 in the Big Ten, and he deserves more respect nationally. Anything less than 85 overall would seem to be disrespectful.

Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back John Nestor (17) kneels in the endzone before a football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes Oct. 25, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

5. Kerry Brown: 85 OVR

I could've gone numerous different ways with the fifth player on this list, but Brown has proven himself as a force in the Big Ten. He had 40 total tackles last season with a pair of interceptions. With Koi Perich now at Oregon, there's a window open for Brown to become a college football star in 2026.

Nov 29, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Kerry Brown (14) celebrates during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Honorable mentions

Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey is notably off this list. Despite the NFL mock draft attention, he's probably still one year away from receiving huge preseason hype from the college football world. It wouldn't surprise be to see other players like Nathan Roy, Javon Tracy, Jalen Smith or even Karter Menz on this list. It will be interesting to see how the national public views the Gophers roster heading into 2026.