EA has revealed the player ratings for rookies in Madden NFL 26. Unlike the 99 Club, which featured few surprises, the ratings for this year's rookies are sure to cause a bit of debate.
That's largely because Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, is rated just 72 overall. While that's the highest rating among all rookie quarterbacks this yar, it's just 69th among all rookies. It's also the lowest rating for a No. 1 overall pick. Even Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, a controversial No. 1 pick last year, began the season with just a 76 overall in Madden 25. Now it's important to note that draft position doesn't necessarily reflect a rookie's starting ratings, so if Cam Ward wants to get some respect, he's going to have to earn it on the field.
With that said, the higest rated rookies in Madden 26 are:
- Travis Hunter - 84 OVR (WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Ashton Jeanty - 83 OVR (RB, Las Vegas Raiders)
- Abdul Carter - 81 OVR (LE, New York Giants)
- Mason Graham - 80 OVR (DT, Cleveland Browns)
- Jalon Walker - 79 OVR (LE, Atlanta Falcons)
- Will Campbell - 79 OVR (LT, New England Patriots)
- Jahdae Barron - 78 OVR (CB, Denver Broncos)
- Kenneth Grant - 78 OVR (DT, Miami Dolphins)
- Maxwell Hairson - 78 OVR (CB, Buffalo Bills)
- Mykel Williams - 78 OVR (RE, San Francisco 49ers)
Heading into ratings week, we were wondering what EA would do with Travis Hunter, the two-way superstar out of Colorado. The No. 2 overall pick is listed as a Cornerback in Madden 26, but he possesses elite ratings as both a defensive back and wide receiver. It's possible that the overlap in specific attributes helped boost his overall rating. For example, he boasts 85 Catching, which also helps as a cornerback with interceptions.
Overall, Hunter boasts 93 Speed, 94 Acceleration, 96 Jumping, and 99 Stamina. On defense, he has 76 Play Recognition, 82 Man Coverage, 84 Zone Coverage, and 80 Press. At wide receiver, he'll have 85 Catching, 86 Spectacular Catch, 82 Catch in Traffic, 84 Short Route, 82 Medium Route, 83 Deep Route, and 80 Release.
Ashton Jeanty, who was widely considered the best running back in this years draft, checks in with an 83 Overall rating, including 90 Speed, 91 Agility, 91 Change of Direction, 92 Carrying, 87 Break Tackle, 86 Trucking, and 87 Ball Carrier Vision.
Another major rookie in this year's game is Shedeur Sanders. The former Colorado quarterback was widely expected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but slid all the way to the 144th pick before being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round. He'll have a lot to prove this seaason as he begins his Madden career with a 67 Overall, including 78 Speed, 81 Acceleration, 81 Break Sack, 88 Throw Power, 76 Throw Under Pressure, 84 Short Accuracy, 78 Mid Accuracy, 79 Deep Accuracy, and 83 Throw on the Run.
Full ratings for all 365 rookies in Madden NFL 26 are available on EA's website here. Madden NFL 26 will launch on August 14th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Early Access begins on August 11th for anyone who has purchased the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle.