We played College Football 25; Mr. Met, he’s not; NBA Draft withdrawal deadline winners, losers

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🏈 Good morning to everyone, but especially to …

EVERYONE PLANNING ON PLAYING EA SPORTS’ COLLEGE FOOTBALL 25

It’s almost here, and it’s going to be glorious. After an 11-year hiatus, EA Sports’ college football video game is returning July 19. If the trailer wasn’t enough …

1. Maybe watch it again, because it’s amazing, and if that’s still not enough …
2. WE GOT TO PLAY THE GAME!

By “we,” I mean Bud Elliott, and he told Cameron Salerno the game does not disappoint. Here are his overall thoughts:

• Elliott: “The No. 1 thing that you get from this is that these guys who make the game, it’s not just another sports game they work on. They’re absolute college football nerds. They geek on every little detail. … The mantra they tried to express is that every team is somebody’s favorite team, so we want all the Division I teams that people are playing to be represented and feel special when they’re playing.”

Obviously the biggest development since the last game is NIL. And while “money” isn’t moving hands in the popular Dynasty or Road to Glory game modes, NIL will play a role.

• Elliott: “The level of school you play as will dictate how much you can actually promise things like going to the NFL, exposure and brand — which obviously is the kind of code word for NIL. It’s a little bit more realistic. I used to take the Ohio Bobcats and run it to a national title real quick, but that’s not as easy to do because of all the different promises that recruits care about. It’s kinda cool because if you take one…