Brentson Buckner Madden Career 1996-2006 - Peak 90 OVR

Brentson Buckner spent 13 years doing the ugly work that lets other men chase quarterbacks, and in Carolina he finally got a stage worthy of it. A second-round pick of the Steelers in 1994, 50th overall out of Clemson, he wedged himself between Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker and Kris Jenkins on the Panthers line that carried the franchise to Super Bowl XXXVIII, a one-point loss to New England in 2003. He had already tasted the game once before, losing Super Bowl XXX with Pittsburgh against Dallas.

Buckner bounced through Kansas City, Cincinnati and San Francisco before landing in Carolina in 2001 and becoming the run-stuffing constant nobody wanted to block. He even blocked three field goals across his career, an oddity for a 300-pounder.

His Madden number reflects that late-career surge. He rated a modest 52 in the 1996 edition and hovered in the mid-60s through 2002, then climbed to 82 in the 2003 game and topped out at 90 in the 2004 edition, with an 88 the following year. He later became a respected NFL defensive line coach with the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Raiders and Jaguars.