D'Artagnan Tinsley was 12 years old in 2013 when the last NCAA football video game was released. As many players do, he created a character from scratch using his name and physical characteristics. A decade later, the University of Cincinnati offensive lineman has agreed to allow the use of his name and likeness in his next highly anticipated EA Sports College Football 25 game.
“Honestly, this is all you want,” said Tinsley, an Owensboro High School graduate. “So when you grow up playing that game, you literally create that person with a vision of who you are going to be.”
The NCAA football video game series was once a huge hit for developer EA Sports. However, the series was suspended in 2013 due to a legal dispute over the use of players' likenesses in the game.
In 2021, EA Sports announced that the series would be returning under the name EA Sports College Football. It was then announced that the game would be released in his summer of 2024. Players can opt-in for a $600 payment and a free copy of the game.
Gavin Wimsatt, another OHS graduate and current starting quarterback at Rutgers University, also chose to attend the game. He tried to contact Wimsatt multiple times but received no response.
Tinsley said that while name, image and likeness (NIL) has become a bigger topic in the sports world in recent years, moments like this push him to work harder as an athlete.
“It allows us to play a little bit differently,” he said. “I feel like it's almost professional in the sense that if you're not up to that level, there's always a chance they'll take your money and find someone else. So it definitely stays hungry and you don't have to worry about anything.” I don't want to mess it up so I can stay humble.”
Tinsley said he is looking forward to finding out the overall score that EA will give.
Each player has several categories of statistics that are compiled into an overall score, with a maximum value of 99. Although he would like to get a perfect score, he knows there is still room for improvement heading into his senior season.
“I'm not looking for too much. I'm a realist, so I wouldn't say it has to be 85. Personally, I think 75 is a good number. I understand I can't get over 80 points given my record, but at least 73 points would be okay,'' Tinsley said.
Tinsley is a redshirt senior who already has a degree in history. He still has one more season of eligibility and he wants to improve his own game and help improve his team as a whole.
At the top of the list, he's aiming to be named to the All-American or All-Conference teams. He would also be happy if he could be a better teammate and help move the team forward. UC finished the 2023 season with a 3-9 record (1-8 in the Big 12).
“I really want to be the best teammate I can be,” Tinsley said. “How can I get a man to want more of me? Or if I'm feeling down on myself, how can I get over that cliff? I'm struggling in my second quarter and I just can't figure it out. Let's say: How can I be more vocal and present to take my team to the next level?”
Tinsley began his collegiate career at NAIA school Kentucky Christian, where he earned National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) first-team honors and All-Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division first-team honors in 2020 and 2021. won the honor of
Tinsley then transferred to Cincinnati for the 2022 season, appearing in nine games as a backup offensive line and special teams contributor. In 2023, Tinsley started all 12 games at left guard.
Wimsatt was named Rutgers' starting QB in 2023. He scored 20 touchdowns (11 rushing, nine passing) and threw for 1,735 yards, which tied Rutgers' quarterback record with 497 rushing yards. He led his team to a 31-24 victory over Miami in the 2023 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl with two 1-yard touchdown runs. It was the Scarlet Knights' first winning season since 2014.
Wimsatt arrived at Rutgers in 2021 as an early enrollee after finishing his high school career with just two games in his senior season. As a redshirt freshman, Wimsatt completed nine passes for 45 yards and added 68 yards on the ground. During the 2022 season, Wimsatt completed 65 passes for 757 yards and five touchdowns.
A specific release date for the EA Sports College Football 25 game has not yet been announced. The game is playable on his PlayStation5 and Xbox Series X/S, but it is currently unknown if there will be a PC version. Players can look for Tinsley as his No. 54 for the Bearcats and Wimsatt as his No. 2 for the Scarlet Knights.
