Za'Darius Smith Madden Career 2016-2025 - Peak 89 OVR
A late starter from JUCO to Green Bay terror
Smith did not start playing football until his senior year of high school, then routed through East Mississippi Community College and Kentucky before Baltimore spent a fourth-round pick, 122nd overall, on him in 2015. For four years he was a rotational Raven. Green Bay changed that in 2019, handing him a four-year deal worth $66 million, and he answered with 13.5 sacks and a place among the league's feared rushers.
The Madden arc is one of the steepest in this group. He opened as a lightly regarded 61 in the 2015 edition and stayed in the 60s and low 70s through his Baltimore years. The Green Bay breakout pushed him to 83 in the 2019 game, then 88 in 2020, and a peak 89 in the 2021 edition. He kept producing after leaving, adding another Pro Bowl nod with Minnesota in 2022 and pass-rush help in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia before retiring in October 2025 after eleven seasons.
Za'Darius Smith Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 89 OVR in Madden NFL 2022 (age 29)
- Appeared in 10 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2016 through Madden NFL 2025)
- Entered at 61 OVR in Madden NFL 2016, climbed 28 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 9 points into Madden NFL 2020
- Played for 4 franchises: Ravens, Packers, Vikings, Browns
- Listed as a defensive lineman in every Madden release
- Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2025 at 83 OVR
Za'Darius Smith Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | COD | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | PAC | TOR | CAR | BTK | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | PBK | IBL | TAK | POW | PUR | BSH | PMV | FMV | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2016 2015 NFL season
|
|
DE | 61 | 81 | 84 | 71 | - | 78 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 53 | 59 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 80 | 83 | 65 | - | - | - | 25 | 35 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2017 2016 NFL season
|
|
DE | 65 | 81 | 84 | 71 | - | 78 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 64 | 64 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 80 | 83 | 76 | - | - | - | 25 | 35 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2018 2017 NFL season
|
|
DE | 71 | 81 | 85 | 71 | - | 78 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 70 | 70 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 80 | 83 | 77 | - | - | - | 45 | 55 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2019 2018 NFL season
|
|
ROLB | 74 | 81 | 85 | 71 | - | 78 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 74 | 74 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 80 | 83 | 80 | - | - | - | 52 | 62 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2020 2019 NFL season
|
|
ROLB | 83 | 81 | 85 | 71 | - | 83 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 89 | 88 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 86 | - | - | - | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2021 2020 NFL season
|
|
ROLB | 88 | 80 | 85 | 73 | 68 | 84 | 78 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 95 | 90 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 92 | - | - | - | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2022 2021 NFL season
|
|
DE | 89 | 80 | 85 | 73 | 68 | 84 | 78 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 95 | 92 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 84 | 83 | 92 | - | - | - | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2023 2022 NFL season
|
|
ROLB | 86 | 80 | 79 | 72 | 67 | 84 | 78 | 81 | 88 | 87 | 93 | 90 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 72 | 84 | 83 | 91 | - | - | - | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2024 2023 NFL season
|
|
DE | 85 | 80 | 78 | 72 | 66 | 85 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 92 | 90 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | - | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 75 | 88 | 83 | 91 | - | - | - | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
|
2025 2024 NFL season
|
|
RDE | 83 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 66 | 85 | 78 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 91 | 89 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 45 | 10 | 29 | 19 | 35 | 15 | 20 | 46 | 15 | 15 | 15 | - | 5 | 15 | 45 | 45 | 75 | 82 | 84 | 90 | 77 | 88 | 78 | 46 | 57 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 10 |
Era Defensive Linemen who played alongside Za'Darius Smith
Za'Darius Smith Madden Ratings by Year
Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2016 rating: 61 OVR (2015 NFL season, BAL). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2017 rating: 65 OVR (2016 NFL season, BAL). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2018 rating: 71 OVR (2017 NFL season, BAL). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2019 rating: 74 OVR (2018 NFL season, BAL). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2020 rating: 83 OVR (2019 NFL season, GB). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2021 rating: 88 OVR (2020 NFL season, GB). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2022 rating: 89 OVR (2021 NFL season, GB). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2023 rating: 86 OVR (2022 NFL season, MIN). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2024 rating: 85 OVR (2023 NFL season, CLE). Za'Darius Smith Madden NFL 2025 rating: 83 OVR (2024 NFL season, CLE).