Cory Schlesinger Madden Career 1997-2007 - Peak 89 OVR

Cory Schlesinger's name was made on New Year's night in 1995, when he punched in two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat Miami 24-17 in the Orange Bowl and hand Nebraska the national championship. The Lions took the Cornhusker fullback in the sixth round that April, 192nd overall, and he spent the next 12 seasons in Detroit lead-blocking, most memorably opening holes for Barry Sanders.

He was never a volume runner, but 2001 brought a career year with 60 receptions, and he made three Pro Bowls as an alternate in 2002, 2003, and 2004. He played 174 games for Detroit before a final season in Miami in 2007.

His Madden arc reflects a slow-built reputation. He was a 23 as a 1996 rookie, an afterthought, then grew into a dependable 80 by the 2000 edition. The number climbed steadily to 86 for 2003 and settled at 89 across the 2004, 2005, and 2006 games, strong marks for a position the sport was quietly phasing out, before dropping to 82 in his last card.