Best Madden 24 Defense Players: Top DEF Players By OVR Rating

As the saying goes, defense wins championships, and the selection of players on this side of the ball has never been better in the NFL. There are star-studded players at every single defensive position, which has made selecting the top 10 players at each position in Madden 24 a herculean task.

EA has revealed the ratings for all of the defensive positions in Madden. This starts with unveiling the top 10 players at each position, which includes some members of the famed 99 Club. Players can then visit EA's website to see the rest of the ratings and where their favorite defenders will begin the season. In this guide, we will be showcasing the top 10 defensive players at each position as they are revealed by EA.

Top Defensive Players In Madden 24

The top 10 lists for each player will solely go by the OVR ratings that have been released. As always, these ratings are subject to change as the season goes on, so if your favorite defender isn't in the top 10 yet, it doesn't mean they can't earn their way there.

Edge Rushers

The edge rushers often house some of the best overall defensive players in the NFL. They have the power to completely change the outcome of a game with a single play and swing the tides in their team's favor every time they step onto the field. In Madden 24, fans will see plenty of familiar faces in the top ten, but there are some newcomers as well.

1. Nick Bosa - 98 OVR
2. Myles Garrett - 98 OVR
3. Micah Parsons - 97 OVR
4. T.J. Watt - 94 OVR
5. Von Miller - 94 OVR
6. Maxx Crosby - 94 OVR
7. Joey Bosa - 91 OVR
8. Haason Reddick - 90 OVR
9. Demarcus Lawrence - 90 OVR
10. Matt Judon - 89 OVR

After a truly dominant year in 2022-23, Nick Bosa at the top of the Edge Rushers list should come as no surprise. His brother, Joey Bosa, joins him in the top 10 while Myles Garrett has dropped out of the 99 Club from last season. The backend of the list features several newcomers, including Maxx Crosby, Haason Reddick, Demarcus Lawrence, and Matt Judon. However, the player to make the biggest jump from last season is Dallas' Micah Parsons, who went from a mid-80s rating in Madden 23 to a 97 OVR rating in Madden 24.

Defensive Line

The second member of the 99 Club resides in this defensive line group, and it should come as zero surprise that it's once again Aaron Donald. This is Donald's seventh consecutive appearance in the 99 Club and he's remained on top of his position group for close to a decade. Although, there are some true game-wreckers that are closing in on Donald's vaunted status as the best defensive lineman in football.

1. Aaron Donald - 99 OVR
2. Chris Jones - 96 OVR
3. Dexter Lawrence II - 94 OVR
4. Quinnen Williams - 93 OVR
5. Cameron Heyward - 93 OVR
6. Jonathan Allen - 92 OVR
7. Jeffery Simmons - 89 OVR
8. Vita Vea - 88 OVR
9. D.J. Reader - 87 OVR
10. Christian Wilkins - 86 OVR

Chris Jones is seen by many as rated too low to start in Madden 24. He finished the Chiefs' Super Bowl campaign in 2022-23 with 17.5 total sacks across the regular and postseason, which tripled that of Aaron Donald's final number. Jones is the most likely candidate to receive a rating bump after the 2023-24 regular season has begun. Further down the list, we have a plethora of young talent, including newly-signed Quinnen Williams, Jonathan Allen, and Christian Wilkins.

Safeties

Among the most underappreciated positions on defense are both safety spots. The stars at the positions have been on top of their game for years at this point, and this year's ratings prove that. The top 10 safeties to start the year in Madden 24 consist of the exact same players from Madden 23, minus one key exception.

1. Derwin James - 95 OVR
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick - 93 OVR
3. Justin Simmons - 92 OVR
4. Kevin Byard - 92 OVR
5. Jessie Bates III - 91 OVR
6. Tyrann Mathieu - 91 OVR
7. Budda Baker - 90 OVR
8. Jordan Poyer - 90 OVR
9. Harrison Smith - 90 OVR
10. Micah Hyde - 89 OVR

The only difference between this year's list and last year's is Minkah Fitzpatrick has replaced Jamal Adams. Fans still might feel Fitzpatrick is rated too low in Madden 24, but at least he has finally made the top 10. Derwin James has taken over the top spot at the safety position, dethroning Tyrann Mathieu after the Honey Badger had a down year in New Orleans. We still see the Buffalo Bills' lethal safety tandem of Poyer and Hyde make the top ten while Harrison Smith remains one of the more underrated players in all of the NFL. We'll have to wait and see if younger players, such as Kyle Dugger, Quandre Diggs, or Antoine Winfield Jr., can crack the top 10 list before the season ends.

Cornerbacks

The cornerback position has arguably the best athletes of any position in football. They often run the fastest and have one of the hardest jobs trying to keep up and contend for balls with wide receivers. As such, the top 10 cornerback list in Madden 24 is highly competitive and full of terrific players. The top 10 list this season features many of the same faces from previous years, but there is some young talent present.

1. Jalen Ramsey - 97 OVR
2. Jaire Alexander - 95 OVR
3. Patrick Surtain II - 94 OVR
4. Sauce Gardner - 93 OVR
5. Marlon Humphrey - 93 OVR
6. Darius Slay Jr. - 92 OVR
7. Stephon Gilmore - 91 OVR
8. Marshon Lattimore - 90 OVR
9. Tre'Davious White - 90 OVR
10. Denzel Ward - 88 OVR

Jalen Ramsey remains on top of the cornerback position for another year in Madden 24. He's been a part of the 99 Club previously and leads the position with a 97 OVR. However, just behind him are some young players in Patrick Surtain II and Sauce Gardner. Many would say that Surtain is actually the best overall cornerback in the NFL, but it seems he'll have to prove that this season. Meanwhile, Gardner needs to have a terrific sophomore campaign to solidify himself as the best corner in the game. The bottom half of the top 10 list features players that are no strangers to the top 10. One notable absence on this list is Trevon Diggs, who was in the top 10 last year after a great rookie campaign.

Linebackers

The final defensive position we have are the linebackers. This list will cover both outside and inside linebackers, even though they are technically classified differently in Madden 24. The top player on the list will come as no surprise to avid NFL fans, but the rest of the list doesn't feature too high of ratings for most linebackers. This means there will be plenty of movement in the ratings after the season begins, meaning the top 10 list will likely change sooner rather than later.

1. Fred Warner - 96 OVR
2. Roquan Smith - 92 OVR
3. Lavonte David - 91 OVR
4. Demario Davis - 90 OVR
5. Bobby Wagner - 89 OVR
6. Matt Milano - 88 OVR
7. Nick Bolton - 87 OVR
8. Tremaine Edmunds - 87 OVR
9. Dre Greenlaw - 86 OVR
10. Shaquille Leonard - 86 OVR

San Fran's Fred Warner has been the best linebacker in the NFL for a few years now, and he is not relinquishing that title in Madden 24 unless someone makes a huge jump in the ratings. Warner has incredible separation in the ratings from his fellow linebackers. The next closest is Baltimore's Roquan Smith while veterans Lavonte David, Demario Davis, and Bobby Wagner lurk in the lower 90s and high 80s. Madden is apparently reluctant to give linebackers ratings in the 90s, as there are only four to start the year while the rest are rated 89 OVR and below. We'll have to see which LBs can enter the 90 OVR club by the time the season is over.