The (player) Ratings Are In!
NCAA Football 14 can be played with your favorite 2020 team!
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In Case You Missed It
We spent a little time last year documenting how the last installment of the NCAA Football Video game by EA Sports is still alive and well. Every year a committed team of editors go to work updating the NCAA Football 14 game rosters with names and ratings to reflect the current players and coaches. There is a lot that goes into this process, so if you want to get up to speed, get all the details here.
Just in time for the college football season, the 2020 rosters, which include the Mountain West Conference have been updated. As always, the rosters are 100% free to download and use, and can be downloaded on the Operations Sports Forum here.
MWC’s Top Players for 2020
Even though speculation exists of a potential October start to the season, there is no confirmation at this moment on what 2020 will hold for Mountain West football. Despite that uncertainty, rosters have been updated for play in anticipation of some sort of season, even if its on a gaming platform!
You should be aware, only official stats and data are used to comprise player ratings. Using these comprehensive composite ratings we are going to share; The fastest, strongest and to overall rated players by position groups.
Without further adieu….
Atop the Mountain
Nolan Laufenberg stands alone atop the Mountain West Conference when it comes to player ratings. The Air Force lineman has been named as a pre-season All-American by multiple publications, and projects well as an NFL prospect. The All-Conference lineman for the Falcons tops out the rating scale at a cool 95 overall!
The Strongest and the Fastest
If your want a guy to move mountains, short of getting into the Book of Corinthians (which I highly recommend), look no further than the Hawai’i offensive line. Ernest Moore checks in as the strongest player in the Conference at a 95 rating in strength.
I have to admit its hard to put this one into print. Utah State’s Savon Scarver, not Kade Remsberg is rated the fastest player in the Conference. Scarver checks in with a 94 speed rating, which registers a single point higher than the Falcons burner. No surprise here as these are two of the most electric players in the country.
.@USUFootball's Savon Scarver (@Savon_Scarver) had a 💯 yard kickoff return — tied for the longest in MW history — making him this week's #MWFB Special Teams Peak Player of the Week!#AggiesAllTheWay | #AtThePeak pic.twitter.com/WVneWBhqiS
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 30, 2019
Top Newcomer
Lets face it, UNLV needed a win. Well Rebel fans, we have one here for you! The most highly rated true freshman registered a 74 overall rating, and he plays for UNLV. Brennon Scott is a 3-Star Prospect according to 247sports.com, and he will be bolstering the talent at linebacker in Las Vegas. With a composite rating of .8791, Scott is the most highly rated incoming freshman in the Mountain West Conference.
Defense and Special Teams
The distinct honor of being the most highly rated defensive player on NCAA 14 for the 2020 season is a shared honor. San Diego State shows strong with DB Dwayne Johnson Jr. and DL Cameron Thomas earning 92 overall.
Since you now know who are the most highly rated players on the defensive line and secondary, lets talk about linebacker. There was a mass exodus of talented linebackers from last year, but there is plenty of talent returning. Of those returning, Boise States Riley Whimpey who carries an 87 overall rating leads the pack.
Its no surprise to those who follow the Mountain West to see Colorado State’s Ryan Stonehouse leading the way on special teams with a 90 overall rating.
On the Offensive
You already know that Nolan Laufenberg takes the crown as the top rated player overall, thus he’s also the top rated offensive player and o-lineman. But we still have more studs left to recognize on this list.
The Running Back talent in the Mountain West runs deep, so its no surprise that there are two players registering high overall ratings of 88. Charles Williams of UNLV and Xazavian Valladay for Wyoming share the top rating for this position group. There are multiple players in the Conference that are just a point or two behind. If you like to run the ball, pick a Mountain West Team for your dynasty!
Hank Bachmeier continues the time honored tradition of Boise State quarterbacks who torment the Mountain West for multiple seasons. The Bronco’s signal caller enters his sophomore year with an 86 overall rating, which is tops in a conference that has a lot of new faces under center.
Let'm 𝙆𝙉𝙊𝙒 @mcbtrey 🗣️
✅52 catches for 649 yards
✅5 Touchdowns
✅@JohnMackeyAward WatchlistToss the rock Trey's way, watch the magic happen 💥#RamClash | #CSURams pic.twitter.com/DsLZnW7v1z
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) August 25, 2020
The Colorado State Rams show back up on the list at Tight End, thanks to Trey McBride’s 87 overall rating. At one point he entered his name into the transfer portal, but has since returned to Fort Collins. Good thing too, because now the Rams have one of the best tight ends out West.
Speaking of Rams, Warren Jackson may have occupied the final position groups top rating on this list, were it not for his decision to opt for the NFL draft. However, there is no absence of stars at wide-out in the Conference either; enter Tre Walker. The San Jose State wide receiver is the conferences top pass catcher, returning with an 88 overall rating. You can be sure whether its Nick Nash or incoming transfer Nick Starkel, they’ll have plenty of help on the outside.
Conclusion
It should come as no surprise to see some of these names show up as top rated players in the Conference, and the game. As the season reveals itself in whatever capacity that is, or isn’t, the ratings will adjust themselves based on player performances.
Either way, if you have a Playstation 3 or XBox gaming console, you can still host an NCAA Football season as a Mountain West team in 2020 with these rosters. Lets hope between the game and the authentic season, the two are safely able to harmonize. Just know, NCAA 14 is a very safe option to fill your appetite for football, even in quarantine!
