Have you played The Yard in Madden NFL 21 and need help taking your game to the next level? EricRayweather is one of the world's best players in The Yard and is here today to share his top 5 tips and tricks to help you dominate the competition in Madden NFL 21's newest game mode. Click the play button on the video above to watch Eric break down his tips and tricks or continue reading for a summary of his video.

Tip #1: Best Prototypes and Abilities in The Yard

Fast Cat (Christian McCaffrey)

This is the best build due to being the fastest Prototype in The Yard. While Fast Cat is great for catching passes, running routes, and making people miss in the open field, this build truly excels when playing QB with the Escape Artist Ability. With Escape Artist at QB, the Fast Cat Prototype will make blitzing defenders think twice before crossing the line and will make your QB much more difficult to bring down in the open field. You can unlock Escape Artist by leveling the Truzz (Lamar Jackson) Prototype up to Level 12. Once an Ability has been unlocked, it can be equipped on any Prototype. While the Fast Cat Prototype can handle short and medium-range throws, the deep accuracy for this Prototype leaves a bit to be desired.

Truzz (Lamar Jackson)

While this build may be a step or two slower than Fast Cat, the Truzz Prototype can hit throws at all ranges while still being fast enough to elude pursuing defenders. If you are playing QB with this build, Escape Artist is a must-have Ability. If you're playing WR with this build, make sure to swap out the Escape Artist Ability with one that is more suited for receiving.

Lockdown Corner (Stephon Gilmore) and Possession Receiver (Michael Thomas)

These Prototypes are two of the best defensive/receiving builds in The Yard due to their catching, change of direction, and speed. Acrobat and Deep Out Elite are the best Abilities to equip with these builds. Deep Out Elite will help your player win 1 on 1 deep throws outside of the numbers more often. If you're looking to "Moss" people with more aggressive catches, choose the Michael Thomas build. If you're looking to play better defense and run routes that create separation to get open, choose the Stephon Gilmore build.

Acrobat and Lurker Abilities

Acrobat and Lurker are two of the best Abilities for playing defense in The Yard regardless of your Prototype. The Acrobat Ability comes stock with all Prototypes, while the Lurker Ability can be unlocked by leveling up the Bobby Wagner Prototype to Level 12. Acrobat allows your player to get crazy animations when diving, jumping and intercepting passes. Equipping one of these Abilities to help defend against the pass is a necessity in The Yard.

Tip #2: Best Players to Draft

You should only be drafting WRs and DBs for your teammates since everybody in The Yard is playing some form of these positions already. Typically, everyone is going out for passes on offense and guarding a man or zone on defense. If you draft QBs, TEs, Linemen, and most HBs, the problem with these players is their lack of speed when playing defense. If you are faced with the choice between multiple WRs/DBs, pay close attention to their Level and Abilities. The higher the Level on a draftable player, the better the stats will be, including their speed. You should also prioritize the following WR/DB Abilities when selecting a teammate to draft: Route Technician, Mid-In Elite, and Mid-Out Elite.

The only exception to the draft WR/DB rule is if you're playing in the new Nike location and see Bo Jackson since he is a draftable option here. If you see him, take him every chance you get because he is so much faster than everyone else and will create matchup nightmares for the opposing team. Bo knows The Yard!

Tip #3: Best Plays in The Yard

Now that you know which Prototypes to select and which teammates to draft, it's time to highlight the best plays to call on defense and offense in The Yard.

Goalline Robber (Defense)

Goalline Robber is a simple man-up play with one deep safety covering the middle of the field. Many teams will struggle against this defense, especially if you've been drafting WRs/DBs and building fast Prototypes. Another great benefit of running this defense is the fact it provides the best defense against the double pass that you will often see attempted in The Yard. Sitting back in zone will allow the opposing team to pass behind the line of scrimmage as much as they wish, while man coverage will keep a defender in the area of the player with the ball and apply more pressure. If the opposing team has a QB with the Escape Artist Ability, you should try avoiding sending a blitz that allows them to scramble and utilize this overpowered Ability.

Corner Fever (Offense)

The Corner Fever play on offense offers a great variety of options and adjustments that will allow you to torch most defenses. The first adjustment you will want to make is to block your center pre-snap to give your QB that extra second needed to scramble in case your opponent sends a blitz. The next adjustment you may want to consider is a Hot Route Slant for one of your slot receivers. This Hot Route will give you a quick option over the middle of the field against man defense that is usually open in case the corner route is covered. If you're facing zone defense, you will have 2 options with your outside receivers behind the line of scrimmage. Once the ball is in their hands, they will now have the option to run for yards if no defenders are nearby or they can throw a pass to a receiver whose defender got baited out of position.

Tip #4: Escape Artist

Escape Artist is the most overpowered Ability in The Yard and is a must-have for your QB. If you haven't leveled up the Truzz (Lamar Jackson) build to Level 12 and unlocked this ability yet for all of your Prototypes, do it now! Once a defender rushes your QB and the green line disappears allowing you to scramble beyond the line, turn on the jets for easy yards and make your opponent think twice about sending pressure in the future. Blocking the center on offense that we covered in Tip #4 will assist in giving your QB that extra second needed to avoid the blitz and head upfield. The Escape Artist Ability is even more effective in The Yard than regular gameplay since opposing defenses can not run contain, spies do not work very well, and there isn't a huge line battling in the trenches to navigate around.

Tip #5: Sneaky Center Passes

While this goes against Tip #4, it is a sneaky tactic to keep in your back pocket when you really need a big play and the defense seems to have your number. If you've been blocking your center most of the game, there's a good chance that your opponent has grown accustomed to ignoring them. Sending your center out on the occasional route is an effective way to catch the defense off guard and pick up a clutch first down or TD when you need it most. If you do send your center out for a pass and the defense blitzes, be ready to get rid of the ball quickly. If your opponent has been in man coverage most of the game, send your center on a slant and roll out with your QB towards that side of the field for the easy completion. If you followed Tip #2 and are able to draft only WRs/DBs, then you will have an even bigger threat lined up at the center position for this sneaky tactic.

For more tips, tricks, and entertaining Madden NFL 21 content, be sure to check out EricRayweather on YouTube.

What are your thoughts on Eric's tips for The Yard? Share your feedback and any additional tips you may have for The Yard in the comments below.