The All-Jake Team
by JAMoney14 | 4 years ago | 0 Comments
JAKE ALLEN PRESENTS: THE ALL-JAKE TEAM
As we continue to wind down the path of Season 67, I mentioned that I could probably put together an All-Jake team of generated players during my time in the Red Zone. While I understand this is self-serving nonsense and nobody cares about the players I've had in my 58 seasons in this league, I think it's a fun way to kill time and Roc said "I'd be interested". I respect Roc more than the most of you lot, so he wins!
I have been in the Red Zone my entire adult life. I joined in October of 2014 for Seasons 6-8 and after a brief haitus while the league switched from 360 to Xbox One, returned in Season 13. I have been here ever since and my best friends in life came from Red Zone. It should be no surprise to those of you who know where I come from that I've opted for my league-mates over the horribly inbred, white-trash, backwoods, redneck cousin fuckers I grew up with in my hometown, so before we get started, just a reminder that I love you.
Onto the list! Here are the rules:
- They have to be generated players, no real players allowed. (Sorry Ameer, Brady, Kam Chancellor, Gorris, etc)
- I did not necessarily have to draft this player, but they had to have made their name on my team (a majority of their career spent on my teams)
- I will not be picking OL or Special Teams, because like... C'mon.
QUARTERBACK
Starter - Kamryn Killings (Colts, Madden 21)
There's no question here. One of only two number 1 overall picks I've made in my 58 season career, Killings was acquired by trading an absolute bevy of picks to Eikim in the first year of Madden 21 cycle, which is always the most important draft each Madden cycle. Killings thus far has had statistically a great career, but unfortunately has not been able to lift my sorry ass to playoff success... Yet.
Backup - Warren Coker (Football Team, Madden 15)
This was a tough decision, because I've had so many fun QBs over the years. Originally, I considered Grant Terra (Patriots, M17) or C.T. Quarles (Lions, M16) but both players were taken pretty late in the cycle and didn't really amount to anything long-term. Warren Coker was taken in Season 14's 2nd round and replaced RGIII after I traded him to the Bears. Coker had the heart and versatility to lead me to my first ever playoff game, a last second loss to Lefty in Green Bay. Loved this kid.
Bonus/QB3 - Miles Bush (Rams, Madden 18)
I probably won't be picking 3 players for these positions, but I had to include Miles Bush on this list. Replacing a QB Todd Wang I drafted in the 1st round, Bush came in at 60-something overall late in the season for my Rams and his speed and horrible accuracy change my offensive gameplan into the run-first strat I've been known for, leading me to my first ever SB. He got crushed by Astin, but you can never forget your first.
RUNNING BACK
Starter - Deric Little (Rams, Madden 18)
Someone I often overlook when I look back, Little was the main offensive piece I had during that Rams cycle and was the primary reason I made the playoffs most seasons in Madden 18. Most of my teams utilize existing players at running back (Ameer Abdullah, Derrius Guice, Jonathan Taylor), but Deric was able to lead team-Jake to victory and deserves to be the bellcow on this All-Jake team.
Backup - Merrill Humphrey (Football Team, Madden 20)
I realize I'm kind of cheating here, as I traded him after 3 seasons to JP and the Titans, so he probably had more success there, but honestly I just never draft running backs, so this is harder than I thought it would be. I traded up to draft Merrill one pick before JP after he called out his intention in the party, then found he was an XF out of the box that helped me enjoy a SB trip and a 16-0 season before trading him away. He deserves to be on this list, even if he was the backup to Guice at the time.
WIDE RECEIVER
Starter1 - Trey Grigsby (Bears, Madden 19)
C'mon, this one is so easy. Number one overall pick? Sure fire star? Highest dev? 100+ catches and 20+ TDs multiple seasons? Suspension after suspension to try and control him? Trey Grigsby is the best WR that's ever been drafted in RZ, not just on my team.
Starter2 - Russ Harris (Patriots, Madden 17)
Russ Harris, another first round pick that stayed put on that Patriots team the entire cycle. Russ was 5'8 and like 170 lbs but that little bastard always went up and grabbed the ball in two man animations, earning him the nickname "Minitron". When you're taken early in a cycle and manage to stick around all cycle, you have to have a spot on this team.... Even if I made the playoffs a total of 0 seasons in Madden 17.
WR3 - Justin Bennett (Colts, Madden 21)
A name we're still familiar with to this day, I might be a bit presumptive, but I believe that Bennett is one of the best pure WRs I've ever had. An XF and still getting better, he has made the pro-bowl each of his first two seasons, despite sharing touches with other XF players on the team. Roc traded with me to allow me to move up and take this man, who began his career as a normal dev and is now a XF. Thanks Roc!
WR4 - Dixon Blue (Bears, Madden 19)
Trey Grigsby's cohort in Chicago, drafted (I believe) the same year, ended up being a star as WR2 as well. Taking some of the heat off of Trey and actually shining during those suspension games, Dixon Blue is always going to be forgotten because he played with Trey, but not by me!
WR5 - Forrest Hurst (Football Team, Madden 15)
Forrest Hurst was a 3rd or 4th round pick with height and really good release that was a deep artist for me year after year. I considered fellow rookie WR Daveon Belton for this spot too, but Hurst's touchdown ability made me reconsider. 
Enough Said.
TIGHT END
Starter - Anthony Montgomery (Football Team, Madden 15)
Tight end is always a position I focus on every cycle, because I believe it to be the most important position when it comes to having a good passing attack. That hasn't changed during my career, and it begun with the 6'7 giant Anthony Montgomery in Washington. A Season 13 draftee, Montgomery also held his spot on that team all cycle. This was before catch buttons/aggro catching, but Montgomery was always tops on this team in receptions and TDs. Giant dude. Giant heart.
Backup - Derron Byrd (Lions, Madden 16)
Much like Montgomery, Byrd came in very early and was a constant force on the Lions team for the cycle. Competing in a division with ManS, Adel, and Lefty, Byrd was probably my number 1 weapon of choice (outside of Ameer) when looking to move down the field. Without a reliable and talented high OVR TE, the mobility of Tyrod Taylor would not have netted the same quality that it did.
Backup - Trevor Ward (Colts, Madden 21)
Without the speed of Byrd and the size and starpower of Montgomery, my current XF TE Trevor Ward falls to number 3 on this list. Ward is an amazing player, but as I mentioned, I focus TE most cycles and my access to a young Gerald Everrett and Gronk in two prior cycles is the only reason I didn't take on there. I would still rank Trevor Ward over Reed Standefor (Bears, Madden 19), mostly due to the fact that I drafted Trevor and I did not draft Reed. Ward was actually a CPU pick during the time I was moving to my new house, but the 24 y/o rookie was a SS out of the box and I'm glad I decided to put all my effort into devving him his first three years, as he's now an 85 OVR XF. Keep moving up the list, Trev!
DEFENSIVE END
Starter - Shon Clarke (Rams, Madden 18)
Another player that I didn't draft, I acquired early on in the Madden 18 cycle with the Rams. Joining Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald, Clarke would help my defense become "LA's Finest" and terrorize backfields for the remainder of the cycle. Of course, his stock is boosted HUGE by the fact that he helped lead my Rams to my first ever SB, but it be like that sometimes!
Starter - Frank Baskett (Patriots, Madden 17)
Frank Baskett is probably the best pass rusher I have personally ever drafted. Baskett was a multiple time pro-bowler and along with another name on this list (we'll get to him), was able to give me some level of hope every year during that awful Madden 17 cycle. Baskett was a massive force on that defense.
Backup - De'Vaughn Lumpkin (Lions, Madden 16)
De'Vaugn Lumpkin was actually drafted as a DT, however once I switched to a 3-4 from a 4-3, he moved outside as a run stopping DE. This is a guy who held a spot as a starter for the entirety of the cycle and I never looked back. I have never been good at drafting defensive players and usually opt to trade or sign in FA. Maybe that's why I stink on this side of the ball!
Backup - Lynn Childs (Football Team, Madden 15)
This one may not have been a highlight reel pick, but Lynn Childs is most famous for being a 6th round projected pick that I took very early in the draft. Early indication was low OVR and bust, but Lynn hung around all cycle and became a quality spot pass-rusher. He may not have been an amazing player, but the fact I can remember him (and I bet Adel could tell you about him too) tells me that he's deserving of a spot.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Starter - ShyQuon McClure (Lions, Madden 16)
McClure was a part of that reliable DL that had to face those insane offenses of the NFC North back in 15-16 with Adel, Lefty, and ManS. McClure made multiple pro-bowls and all-pro teams back when we did those. I had actually forgotten about his impact as a dual threat until I did research for this article.
DT2 - Tavin Law (Rams, Madden 18)
Another non-draftee, I acquired Tavin to join Shon Clarke and Donald with LA's Finest. Tavin cost a pretty penny, with one of my tweets mentioning I paid him 5-years, $131m upon signing him in FA. I wish I could include more draftees, but as I mentioned, I'm historically terrible at drafting on this side of the ball. Still loved Tavin as a #2 to Donald. Best DL in history!
LINEBACKER
Starting MLB - Malcolme Stokes (Lions, Madden 16)
This is no question. Stokes is likely in the top 5 best players I've ever drafted. Though it wasn't the first or second draft of the cycle, Stokes was at the top of the tackles list and can be found on the all-pro list in the user hub many many times. Stokes was sideline to sideline at it's purest definition and I wish I had a guy like him today.
Starting LOLB - Tyler Farley (Football Team, Madden 20)
A late cycle addition, it's hard to find any absolute studs at linebacker for me outside of Stokes. Farley joined us via the draft for the latter half of the Madden 20cycle and was actually a key player in my 3rd super bowl (another loss to Astin), leading my team in tackles that year.
Starting ROLB - Marshall Shehee (Bears, Madden 19)
Marshall Shehee was a farily late cycle impact being added mid-cycle. Despite being overshadowed by a top offense and fucking Roquan Smith winning DPOY every year, Shehee was probably the biggest name I drafted on that defense in Madden 19. He was able to develop into a solid starter, though never came close to being a star like some of the other names on this list.
Backup LB - Paul Volk (Rams, Madden 18)
Another Rams player! While most of the talent in my Rams LB corps was Samson Ebukam and veterans, Paul Volk came in in the first draft of the cycle in the 3rd round and was able to find a spot on the team all cycle long. Like Shehee, he was overshadowed by a stacked defense, but the consistency and reliability deserves a spot on this list.
Backup/Bonus - Roquan Smith (Bears, Madden 19)
Fuck you, he won like 100 DPOYs.
CORNERBACK
Starter1 - Shontrelle Woods (Rams, Madden 18)
In another pick that should be a surprise to nobody, we find another Rams player on this list, in what had to be the only cycle I've ever had when I had a great defense. Shontrelle joined us early in the cycle, and while I did end up losing him to FA, he was a key piece of a defense that turned into a SB-worthy defense by cycle's end.
Starter2 - Samuel Asante (Football Team, Madden 15)
This is not a typo, the top corner in the Season 13 draft was literally named Samuel Asante, which I ended up getting. This was only made more hilarious by the fact I had picked up Asante Samuel in the waivers that year. With these two on each side of the field, I had a decent defense, but the older Asante Samuel left and Samuel Asante actually developed as I intended and was a fixture on my defense the entire cycle. Hilarious and talented. A great combo to be sure.
CB3 - Nikloss Carlson (Rams, Madden 18)
Another Rams player! Shocking development! (but not really). Nikloss was arguably better than Woods during their respective times with me and the Rams, but I will chock that up primarily to his longevity with my team vs Woods raw talent. I know I'm being a hypocrit ranking Woods higher despite the fact he left the team during the cycle, but this is my list, and Woods was way more impactful during his time in my mind.
CB4 - Clayton Sweed (Football Team, Madden 20)
Clayton Sweed and Malcolm Lewis held down the defense in what has to be my most successful cycle in my career. Missing the playoffs just one time (the first year) and winning at least 9 games every season makes me sad, as I am not a shell of my former self. That being said, I do not have any player near the talent of Clayton Sweed, whose talent is missed every single day I watch a WR go up and moss Kenny Moore.
SAFETY
Free Safety - Malcolm Lewis (Football Team, Madden 20)
The heisman winner that I traded up to get, Lewis was the 10th overall pick the first season of the cycle and you guessed it, he remained the starter all cycle long, including multiple pro-bowls and holding a special place in my heart as one of my favorite players ever. He was amazing on the field as an XF out of the box and proved that even I can sometimes make good picks.
Strong Safety - Brion Murrell (Patriots, Madden 17)
The player I was referring to before, during my time with the Patriots was none other than Brion Murrell. Murrell's, in my estimation, was better than Lewis even and if the dev traits existed back then, he'd have easily been an XF as well. The perfect combination of size and speed, I considered moving him to CB at one point (back when we could do that) but opted to keep him as a S. There wasn't many high points to Madden 17, but he was probably the highest.
Backup - Ross Stafford (Rams, Madden 18)
Did you think I wouldn't have a great generated player from the Rams at safety? You're wrong! Ross wasn't a draftee by me, but an early acquisition that ended up making multiple pro-bowls and was a part of LA's Finest. With a defense this stacked, it's no wonder I took a 60 OVR QB to the SB.
Well there you have it!
Self-serving it was, but I will almost never get tired of digging into RZ player history and hopefully this list changes for the better as I move forward in my never ending quest to win a title in this stupid fucking league.
BAI