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Cornerback Brandon Finney Jr.
emerged as the walking no fly zone for the Oregon Ducks as a true freshman in 2025.
Opposing quarterbacks targeted Finney 50 total times per Pro Football Focus.
But he allowed only 20 receptions and allowed only one touchdown on his side.
And Finney delivered this production facing NFL-caliber wide receivers hailing from Indiana, USC, Washington and Penn State.
Finney's 2025 performance calls for a 99 rating for the upcoming EA Sports College Football 27 game.
He scaled the 90 mark, landing at 91.
But that sparked one surprising vocal critic representing the rival USC Trojans.
The Surprise Former All-American Who Believes Brandon Finney Jr.
Should Rate Higher Past USC All-American Su'a Cravens called out the popular video game for handing Finney what he believes is a low score.
"Brandon Finney Jr should be a 94 overall at the very minimum !! Ya'll sleeping on the first corner off the board two years from now," Cravens posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
Finney ties as the highest-rated Big Ten cornerback for the game scheduled to be released on July 9.
Yet he's one of five cornerbacks who received the same score.
Jontez Williams from Cravens' alma mater and Michigan star Jyaire Hall both share a 91 score, the same as Jamari Sharpe via the national champion Indiana Hoosiers.
Kelley Jones of Mississippi State is the lone non-Big Ten talent to receive a 91.
Alabama's Zabien Brown placed third with a 92 score.
Brice Pollock from Texas Tech scored at 93.
Leonard Moore of Notre Dame holds the title of best-ranked cornerback for the video game with his 97 grade.
But again, Finney gained an ardent backer from someone who once encountered the Ducks during his playing career.
How Brandon Finney Jr.
Becomes Nation's Top Cornerback Obviously, fans aren't likely to go ballistic over a video game rating.
Athletes like Finney will either downplay it or become highly motivated to show the world the rating they feel they deserve.
But Finney earns lots of chances to prove he's ready to ascend from a stellar 2025 debut under coach Dan Lanning, starting with locking in on Boise State star receiver Cameron Bates in Week 1.
Bates doubles as the Broncos' top vertical threat and gadget player on jet sweep plays.
The Broncos will get him the ball to set the tone.
Oklahoma State is undergoing a regime change.
But the Cowboys are airing it out with prized transfer from North Texas, quarterback Drew Mestermaker, taking snaps behind center.
Frustrating the 4,379-yard passer of 2025 will further boost Finney's stock here.
Then comes the first biggest Big Ten challenge for Finney and company: the Sept.
26 road trip to USC.
Finney can get under the skin of the Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava once again.
But this time Finney locks in on receiver Tanook Hines, in all likelihood, who shredded the Ducks with 141 receiving yards last season.
Finally, Nov.
7 presents one of the more highly anticipated wide receiver versus cornerback matchups of the year: Finney versus Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State.
The Ducks defender shutting down and placing Smith on an island will spark Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year talk, or even a 99 score for EA Sports College Football 28.
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Lorenzo J Reyna is a sports writer for Oregon Ducks On SI.
He brings nearly two decades of sports writing experience, including coverage of Cal, Stanford, San Jose State and Fresno State for 247Sports.
He also wrote about an incoming high school freshman named Jayden Daniels before he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Washington Commanders.
Also known as "Zo" to his colleagues, his other writing credits include ClutchPoints, Athlon Sports, Roundtable, the Santa Maria Times and freelanced once for the Los Angeles Times.
He enjoys living near a beach, having multiple cups of coffee, and listening to old school R&B/Hip-Hop in his down time.
Follow LJ_Reyna.