Nebraska Offensive Lineman Earns Top 100 Offensive Rating by EA Sports

Nebraska football's offensive anchor is also regarded as potentially its best player.

Huskers' center Justin Evans was listed as one of EA Sports' Top 100 Offensive Players in the latest edition of the College Football 27 franchise. EA Sports released its ratings for the top offensive individual players in the game on Wednesday as part of the game's "ratings reveal" week. The video game has been a mainstay for college football fans since its return three seasons ago after stopping production nearly a decade prior due to infringements on name, image, and likeness for collegiate athletes. EA Sports released its 'Toughest Places to Play' rankings on Monday and the game's top overall rated teams on Tuesday.

The highest possible rating a player can receive is 99 overall - a rare feat for an initial release of the franchise. Evans earned a 91 overall rating, the 71st-highest rating in the upcoming game. The center was ranked as the fifth-best center in the game, placing ahead of Kentucky's Coleton Price (88 overall), Ohio State's Carson Hinzman (88 overall), Northwestern's Ezomo Oratokhai (89 overall), Georgia's Drew Bobo (89 overall), and Army's Brady Small (90 overall). Ahead of Evans were Big Ten rivals Kade Pieper (95 overall) from Iowa and Oregon's Iapani Laloulu (93 overall), as well as the Big 12's Sheridan Williams (92 overall) from Texas Tech and BYU's Bruce Mitchell (91 overall).

Nebraska center Justin Evans prepares to snap the ball against Michigan. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

In the 2026 version of the game, Evans began the season as an 81 overall before finishing the season as an 86 overall player. His improvement in the rating by 10 points comes from his high attributes in strength (93), awareness (92), stamina (93), and toughness (97), as well as his blocking stats that are all listed at 87 or higher. His most notable feature, according to EA Sports, is Evans' pass block power, rated at 94.

Evans' high ranking matches Nebraska football's impressive offensive team rating at 85 overall, as the center returns to finish his senior season after appearing in 38 games with 31 starts over the past three seasons. He has started 26 straight games the past two years, and added five starts as a redshirt freshman, earning starting nods at center and left guard.

The senior's work ethic was on display early after arriving in Lincoln as a three-star prospect from New Jersey. As a redshirt in 2022, Evans did not play in a game for the Huskers but was named Nebraska's co-Offensive Scout of the Year. That effort parlayed into Evans participating in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman before aiding freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola in 2024 to Nebraska's freshman passing record, then pushing first-team All-American running back Emmett Johnson to earn the Big Ten Running Back of the Year honor.

Justin Evans was a key part of Nebraska football's offensive success in 2026 as the starting center. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Evans, along with tight end Luke Lindenmeyer and defensive back Andrew Marshall, was honored with an invitation from Matt Rhule to represent Nebraska football at the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago in late July as the announcement was made Wednesday.

While Nebraska celebrates Evans' placement on the EA Sports top 100 ratings, the Huskers' defense will have its hands full with plenty of talented players facing off against the Blackshirts this fall. Five of the top 10 offensive players rated by the game will face Nebraska this season, opening on Oct. 10 as Indiana visits Lincoln with left tackle Carter Smith (97 overall). The following week in Eugene, Nebraska will face Oregon and Heisman candidate quarterback Dante Moore (95 overall).

The Huskers later take on Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith (99 overall) and Julian Sayin (94 overall), as Smith is the game's highest-overall rated player. Sayin is the game's second-highest rated quarterback behind Moore. Nebraska closes its season taking on Iowa center Kade Pieper (95 overall) on the road in Iowa City.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) shakes off an Indiana Hoosiers defensive back. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nebraska's first five opponents do not have a top 100-rated offensive player per the released EA Sports rankings, as Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Michigan State, and Maryland failed to garner a top billing from their offensive ratings. Outside of the four teams previously mentioned, only Rutgers has another top 100-rated player with running back Antwan Raymond (92 overall) and receiver KJ Duff (92 overall) cracking the top of the ratings.

The Huskers face only five opponents on their 2026 slate that have a top 100-rated player, including Indiana, Oregon, Rutgers, Ohio State, and Iowa. The Hoosiers have two nods, both on the offensive line, in Smith and left guard Drew Evans. Oregon earned three players in the top 100 with Moore, Laloulu, and tight end Jamari Johnson. The Buckeyes earned the most recognition of any Big Ten team with five, as Smith, Sayin, left guard Luke Montgomery, right guard Austin Siereveld, and center Carson Hinzman all earned 88 or higher ratings. Finally, Iowa finished with three preseason top-100 players as Pieper, left tackle Trevor Lauck, and tight end DJ Vonnahme landed with 88 overall or higher ratings.

The ratings schedule release week continues on Thursday as the top individual defensive players in the game will be announced, with the full list of player ratings set to be revealed on Friday. The game is set for a wide release on July 9.

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