It has been 1,571 days days since the release of the last true lacrosse video game (Casey Powell Lacrosse 18). While that game certainly had its flaws, it was nice to pick up a controller and play a lacrosse video game. Let’s take a minute and imagine a new PLL focused video game has released in the year 2022. What exactly would the player ratings be? One of the best parts of a new Madden game every year is the fans reacting to their favorite players and team’s ratings. This eight part series will cover each of the PLL teams hypothetical player ratings. We have done the Archers, now it’s time for the Atlas.
I’d like to thank Dan Arestia for inspiring this idea.
DISCLAIMER: This is 100% an opinion piece and you are entitled to disagree with everything in this article if you choose to do so. Not every player is a 99 overall. It takes years of experience and consistency to even come close to that sort of ranking. Just because your favorite player is an 82 overall in no way shape or form means he is a bad player. The league just has far too much talent.
Attack
Jeff Teat: 97 OVR
Chris Gray: 95 OVR
Eric Law: 94 OVR
Jake Carraway: 89 OVR
Recap: What Ben Rubeor has done with this Atlas roster in such a short amount of time is incredible. The Atlas posses one of the most exciting attack lines to ever touch a professional lacrosse field. Call that dramatic, but it’s true. Jeff Teat is a generational talent, Chris Gray has the potential to be a top five attackman in the league, and Eric Law has been a consistent threat for years now. There is no question that this Atlas squad will win a PLL Championship one day especially with this All-Star caliber attack lineup.
Overall Average: 94 OVR
Midfield
Bryan Costabile: 86 OVR
Daniel Bucaro: 82 OVR
Dox Aitken: 81 OVR
Romar Dennis: 80 OVR
John Crawley: 78 OVR
Brendan Curry: 77 OVR
Brent Adams: 75 OVR
Recap: While the Atlas attack line does most of the heavy lifting, they would be nothing without a solid midfield unit. The PLL just has far too much talent across the board so these overalls may seem a little skewed to some of you especially given the talent the Atlas have. I don’t think there is any midfielder on the Atlas’ roster that is a game changing player, but I don’t think anyone is a liability. Their top four midfielders are well deserving starters in this league, but none of them are absolute studs.
Overall Average: 80 OVR
SSDM
Danny Logan: 85 OVR
Peter Dearth: 83 OVR
Jake Richard: 78 OVR
Recap: I really like this SSDM unit for the Atlas. Danny Logan and Peter Dearth can do it all. Not many complaints here. These guys are solid.
Overall Average: 82 OVR
Defense
Cade Van Raaphorst: 93 OVR
Michael Rexrode: 88 OVR
Tucker Durkin: 87 OVR
Max Wayne: 74 OVR
Recap: The Atlas may have one of the best starting three defensive units in the league. Cade Van Raaphorst has been a man on a mission this season and Rexrode is a solid contributor. For those of you who have ever played Madden, when a player gets up there in age their overall begins to fall off and I think Tucker Durkin has hit that point. He is a solid fundamental defenseman but he is not a caused-turnover machine like Raaphorst or a groundball vacuum cleaner like Rexrode. Durkin is 31 years old and I wouldn’t be surprised if he hung up the cleats after this season.
Overall Average: 86 OVR
LSM
Craig Chick: 93 OVR
Koby Smith: 84 OVR
Kyle Pless: 76 OVR
Recap: Craig Chick has become one of my favorite LSM’s to watch this season. My man’s has been a caused-turnover machine on top of being a groundball wizard. He has had multiple games this season where he has put up video game numbers. If his future seasons with the Atlas are anything like this one he will easily be a top three LSM in the PLL. Koby Smith is still young and has some time to develop, but he certainly is one of the most intriguing rookies in the PLL.
Overall Average: 84 OVR
Faceoff
Trevor Baptiste: 99 OVR
Jakob Phaup: 75 OVR
Recap: Trevor Baptiste is the best faceoff man in the world and it’s not even close, that is all.
Overall Average: 87 OVR
Goalie
Jack Concannon: 84 OVR
JD Colarusso: 80 OVR
Recap: Concannon is a very solid net minder, definitely deserving of his starting role. Colarusso is willing to step up to the occasion when asked. Just a solid overall core of goalkeepers.
Overall Average: 82 OVR
