South Carolina football: Stephon Gilmore rated 99 overall by Madden ’21

Former South Carolina football player Stephon Gilmore is one of four NFLers to be rated as a 99 overall in Madden 2021.

Ratings for the newest version of the Madden NFL video game have been leaked, and South Carolina fans will see a familiar face atop the ratings. Former Gamecock cornerback Stephon Gilmore was one of four players to receive an overall rating of 99, the highest mark set in the game. He’s the latest of a group of players to join Madden’s coveted “99 Club” that includes greats like Adrian Peterson, Barry Sanders, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders, and Tom Brady.

Gilmore, currently a member of the New England Patriots’ secondary, is coming off the best season of his career. The reigning defensive player of the year picked off six passes, returning two for touchdowns. He also tallied 53 tackles and led the NFL in passes defended with 20.

The other three players to be rated at 99 overall are Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Some other Gamecocks of note include Melvin Ingram (88 overall), Jared Cook (87 overall), Alshon Jeffery (84 overall), and Johnathan Joseph (81 overall). All four rank among the top 10 players on their respective NFL team.

On a side note, Ingram he may be the ultimate Madden cheat code. Check out this video that the Chargers posted a few months ago as they plugged Ingram into every position on the field.

It will be interesting to see where other Gamecocks like Jadeveon Clowney, Deebo Samuel, and Javon Kinlaw rank when the rest of the ratings are released, but it’s definitely fun to see an alum being recognized as one of the NFL’s best.