Madden 23's release signals that a new NFL season is about to begin. Ultimate Team is a mode that is a large part of Electronic Arts' sports title offerings, and is the mode played most by both Madden and FIFA players alike. It provides players with a landscape in which they can build a dream roster of their favorite players.
The offense often gets the spotlight as most NFL fans love seeing touchdowns, but great defensives are what often lead to actual record and playoff success. Players looking to shut down opponents will need to know and acquire the best defenders Madden 23's Ultimate Team mode has to offer.
9 Aaron Donald, RE (88)
Aaron Donald still reigns supreme as the best football player in the entirety of the NFL. If he retired tomorrow, he'd already be a lock as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His resume is incredible, especially when considering he mostly lines up as an interior defensive lineman.
As expected, he played a pivotal role in the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl run last season, which culminated in #99 raising the Lombardi trophy. An 88 overall card in Madden 23's Ultimate Team may sound a bit disrespectful for a player of Donald's caliber, but it's not as if he won't see numerous other cards hit the mode during the season that all land in the 90s.
8 TJ Watt, LOLB (88)
TJ Watt is the current sack title holder, as he led the league in the quarterback-tackling statistic at the end of the 2021 NFL season. As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive unit, pass rushers are expected to bring the heat, and Watt has managed to do just that.
Through just five seasons he already sits at 72 career sacks, with a lot of production still ahead of him. Steelers and Watt family fans alike can get a taste of his abilities with his 88 overall Core Elite program card. This card is currently one of the single best pass-rusher cards in the entirety of Ultimate Team in Madden 23, so far.
7 Leighton Vander Esch, MLB (89)
Leighton Vander Esch has had a weird career, mostly hampered by injuries. After making the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2018, he hasn't put together the same type of season and hasn't amassed even 80 combined tackles in a season since.
A lot of his issues likely stem from the neck-related injury concerns that have popped up. It's unclear if he'll ever meet the expectations of what he presented in 2018, but either way fans, of the Dallas Cowboys can live their fantasy with his 89 overall Ultimate Team card in Madden 23.
6 Carlton Davis III, CB (89)
The Team Affinity program rewards players with a high overall card of a specific team. When it comes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team loaded with talent, the ideas of who could be on the card are numerous. It turns out the subject ended up being a dark horse candidate: cornerback Carlton Davis III.
When he's playing right, Davis manages to display the confidence and results of a league-best defensive back, but his lack of consistency and high-level play makes it tough. Either way, an 89 overall cornerback card in Ultimate Team can mean the difference between shutting down top wide receivers in Madden 23 and getting scored on left and right.
5 L'Jarius Sneed, CB (89)
When NFL fans think of current Kansas City Chiefs defenders, the first names that come to mind are likely Chris Jones or Justin Reid. Who would have thought that their highest-rated player card at the launch of Madden 23 would be an 89 overall version of cornerback L'Jarius Sneed?
The two-year has shown flashes, but it's hard to understand why he of all people was the subject of the Headliners program. Those who have 260,000 coins burning a hole in their pocket can spend it on this card if they're looking to bolster their secondary in Ultimate Team.
4 Micah Hyde, FS (89)
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills' offense get all the headlines, but people forget how good the team's defensive unit is. One half of arguably the league's best safety duo goes by the name of Micah Hyde and he's a dangerous man in the secondary.
Thanks to the offense scoring a lot of points, Hyde gets to roam around and take advantage of desperate teams forced into passing situations. The Team Affinity program card for the Bills is an 89 overall card dedicated to Hyde, and happens to be one of the few examples of those safeties in Buffalo getting the recognition they deserve.
3 Harold Landry, ROLB (89)
The Tennessee Titans have built a successful brand of football focused on running Derrick Henry at defenses until they decide to give up. Though their defense lacks consistent dominance, it is still home to some elite NFL talent. Harold Landry III is the Titans' premier pass-rusher and has emerged as a defensive star.
Finishing the Titans' Team Affinity program will result in an 89 overall card of Landry III, which displays exactly what he provides to the team every week. Real football fans understand how good Landry III is and know that this card was earned.
2 DeMarcus Lawrence, LE (89)
After back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons in 2018 and 2019, pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence has had a tough time returning to form for the Dallas Cowboys. The Boise State product is looking to come back better than ever following a season cut short due to injury.
Cowboys fans will love both the overall and card art of Lawrence's 89 overall Headliners program card, as it harkens back to his best years in the league. It doesn't come cheap, either, as those interested will need anywhere between 300,000 to 350,000 coins to even sniff a chance of landing his card.
1 Stephon Gilmore, CB (89)
Though he no longer wears a New England Patriots jersey, Stephon Gilmore continues to be one of the better starting cornerbacks in the NFL. He spent last season as a member of the Carolina Panthers, and due to the team's poor record, people overlooked how good he still looked. In 2022, he'll be a member of the Indianapolis Colts, a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Whether he's overlooked or underrated, snagging his 89 overall Ultimate Team card is a good way to understand just how good he is at his craft. It's part of the Field Pass program, so it's not the easiest card to get ahold of in Madden 23, but it's worth it.