Virginia Tech Cornerback Dorian Strong Receives Top 100 Rating in EA Sports' College Football 25
EA Sports released their list of the top 100 players in EA SPORTS' College Football 25. One Virginia Tech Hokie found himself on this list.
2023 Third-Team All-ACC honoree Dorian Strong received the highest rating of any Virginia Tech player. Strong is listed as a 91 overall cornerback, with 91 speed and 94 acceleration. There are only two players in the ACC that rank higher than Dorian Strong in the speed category. Louisville cornerback Quincy Riley is listed at 92 speed, and Cal running back Jaydn Ott is also listed at 92 speed.
Out of ten cornerbacks included in the top 100, Dorian Strong placed ninth. Strong only led Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant, who found himself at a 90 overall and ranked as the 75th best player in the game.
Dorian Strong was just ahead of Bryant, ranking as the 66th best player in the game. Strong just beat out Miami (FL) halfback Damien Martinez, who placed at 67, and Strong was just beat out by Oregon cornerback Jabbar Muhammad who finished as the 65th highest rank player.
Not all of the statistics have been released yet, with only speed, acceleration, strength, awareness, and jumping being public at this time. Dorian Strong, as previously mentioned, has a 91 speed rating, and a 94 acceleration rating. Dorian Strong received the short stick for his strength rating though, finishing with a 58 strength rating, the lowest of all cornerbacks on the list. Strong's awareness rating was fairly high, coming out at a 90, which only trails 3 cornerbacks on the list: Jabbar Muhammad (Oregon), Denzel Burke (Ohio State), and Will Johnson (Michigan). Finally, the jumping rating for Dorian Strong was also quite low. Strong received a 90 rating for jumping, which at first glance looks fine, but when you consider that every other cornerback received a higher rating, the rating seems a lot lower.
Including wide receivers and cornerbacks, there is only one player with a lower jumping rating, and that is Miami (FL) wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who recieved an 87 jumping rating, and ranked 93rd in the top 100 list.
Even though players like Mansoor Delane, Antwuan Powell-Ryland, and Aeneas Peebles probably think they should have made the list, its good to see some Virginia Tech players get high recognition on such a large scale.
RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.