No matter where you stand on the actual gameplay, being named the cover athlete of Madden is a great honor, with legends like Tom Brady and Barry Sanders headlining the game over the years. Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster revealed the cover athlete of Madden 20 will be unveiled tonight ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft, and these are the top candidates.
10. George Kittle, 49ers TE
Rob Gronkowski was on the Madden 17 cover, so George Kittle is slightly lower than he otherwise would be—it’s just hard to see two tight ends on the cover in the span of a few years. Still, the Niners All-Pro is one of the biggest personalities in football, and he probably made a lot of potential buyers of the game happy in fantasy football after his breakout 2018.
9. Aaron Donald, Rams DL
Ray Lewis (Madden 2005) and Richard Sherman (Madden 15) are the only defensive players to appear on the Madden cover alone (Troy Polamalu also appeared along with Larry Fitzgerald on Madden 10). As a back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Donald would be as good as any defensive player to put on the cover this year—but he might have a teammate on the other side of the ball that would be a better option.
8. Deshaun Watson, Texans QB
Bouncing back from his injury-shortened (but stellar) rookie season, Deshaun Watson played all 16 games and led the Texans to an AFC South title in 2018. As a former college football star that was able to slay Alabama in his final college game, Watson is one of the NFL’s most well-known players. Watson would join Daunte Culpepper, Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, and Vince Young among African American quarterbacks as Madden cover stars.
7. Alvin Kamara, Saints RB
With Mark Ingram gone, it’ll be Alvin Kamara’s show in New Orleans, and EA might put the versatile running back on the cover after he already had two outstanding NFL seasons. Kamara seems to be a player beloved by the youngins, and there’s not a good chance his performance disappoints while playing in an offense with Drew Brees at quarterback.
6. Khalil Mack, Bears OLB
After the way Khalil Mack took over games early in the season with sacks, turnovers, and touchdowns almost single-handedly, he’d be a strong choice for EA to put on the Madden 20 cover if they want to put more emphasis on the defensive side of the ball. Mack has hype around him after the Bears gave the Raiders two first-round picks and handed him a $141 million contract, so the Madden cover might be the next step for him.
5. Todd Gurley, Rams RB
Some enemies might have been made during the end of last season, but Todd Gurley has certainly made many friends as a fantasy superstar the past two years in Sean McVay’s offense. Gurley is one of the best players in football and would be a widely-praised cover athlete for EA. Also, while Gurley is only going to turn 25 this summer, his knee issues could mean this year is the best time to ensure Gurley gets on the cover before it’s too late—and he deserves to be on it at some point.
4. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys RB
The Cowboys are still one of the most popular sports franchises in the world, so either Ezekiel Elliott or Dak Prescott would be a strong option for the Madden 20 cover. Prescott was the No. 2 selling jersey in the past year, so he’s one of the most under-the-radar stars in the league; but the two-time league-leading rusher Elliott is still the better option of the two as the cover athlete.
3. Saquon Barkley, Giants RB
One issue with Saquon Barkley is that the Giants might not be very good this season, but he’s one of the NFL’s most likable players and plays in a huge New York market. Barkley was a key part of the NFL 100 commercial, running with the ball at the end, which should not be taken lightly—the NFL might consider him the future face of the league. If he accepts, Barkley will be on the Madden cover before he retires, and it might be this year.
2. Baker Mayfield, Browns QB
Based off Smith-Schuster’s reaction in the linked video above, it looks like the cover athlete is someone he knows pretty well and might text or call about the cover. JuJu previously texted Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, pleading with him to beat the Ravens so the Steelers could get into the postseason last year, so perhaps that gives something away. Mayfield would be the first Heisman Trophy winner on the Madden cover since Eddie George (Madden 2001), so it’s long overdue.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs QB
Not much explanation is needed for Patrick Mahomes as the potential Madden 20 cover star. He’s the reigning MVP of the league, and he’s the type of person that would certainly be open to it. Also, he’s joining ABC’s draft coverage, which could be something EA wanted their newest cover athlete to do.