Washington State’s roster may look different heading into the new season, but the Cougars still landed a notable distinction in EA Sports College Football 27: Tony Freeman is their highest-rated player since the reboot of the game ahead of the 2024 season.
Freeman leads the WSU list at an 86 overall, the top mark on a roster that includes only four players rated 80 or better. Behind him are left tackle Ashton Tripp at 82, wide receiver Darrius Clemons at 81 and running back Kirby Vorhees at 80.
As a team, Washington State checks in at 78 overall. The offense is rated 73, while the defense sits at 76.
There are also some clear gaps in the roster. Quarterback Caden Pinnick is among the most notable absences, and he is not the only Cougar missing from the game.
Here’s how the ratings break down for WSU:
At quarterback, Julian Dugger is a 71 overall and Owen Eshelman is a 67.
At running back, Vorhees leads the group at 80, followed by Leo Pulalasi and Maxwell Woods, both at 76.
The wide receiver room is headlined by Freeman at 86 and Clemons at 81. Tank Hawkins is a 79, Daniel Blood is a 77 and Branden Ganashamoorthy is a 69.
Tight ends include Trey Leckner at 76, Jack Pedersen at 74, Beau Baker at 71 and Hudson Cedarland at 67.
On the offensive line, Tripp is the highest-rated Cougar at 82. Jonny Lester is next at 76, then Kyle Martin at 74, Nick Bakken and Noah Dunham at 72, Jaylin Caldwell and Maximus McCree at 71, Xavier Thorpe at 70, Chris Lino and Sone Falealo at 69, Kalolo Ta'aga at 65, and Arion Williams and Jorden Cunningham at 63.
On the defensive line, Linus Zunk is at 78, Matyus McLain at 73, Fernando Lecuona and Ike Okafor at 71, Luke Webb at 70, Malachi Wrice and Michael Hughes at 68, and Josh Wedel at 65.
At defensive tackle, Jirah Leaupepetele is rated 76, Damarjhe Lewis and Kaden Beatty are both 75, Paul Hutson III is 74, Akio Martinson is 71 and Malijah Tucker is 66.
The linebacker group is led by Keith Brown at 76. Nylan Brown is 71, DJ Warner and Gage Jones are 70, Carsten Reynolds is 68, Jack Ellison is 65 and Isaiah Hung is 61.
At cornerback, Jalil Tucker and Khamari Terrell are both rated 77, Jaylen Thomas is 74, Kai Rapolla is 72, CJ Solis-Lumar is 71, Jamarey Smith is 66 and Ishmael Gibbs is 64.
At safety, Jshawn Frausto-Ramos and Kyle Peterson are both 73, Trey Ridley and Kayo Patu are both 69, and Jack Bal is 66.
Among the specialists, Jack Stevens is a 78 and Max Dean is a 74.
Several other Cougars are missing from the game as well, including wide receiver Jordan Dees, defensive end Ben Beatty, safety Jeremiah Bernard, defensive tackle Balaam Miller, offensive tackle Turner Bertrand and defensive end Eduwa Okundaye. Wide receiver Noah Westbrook is also absent after appearing in last year’s game.
A few of the ratings stand out. McLain comes in lower than expected at 73, Pulalasi dropped five points from his 81 rating last year, and Thomas is listed too low and out of position, along with Okafor. Warner also took a hit, falling from a 77 overall last year to a 70 this time around.
If the past is any guide, EA is expected to roll out updates during the season, with the first one likely arriving just before kickoff or soon after.
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