This past week, EA and ESPN teamed up for Madden Ratings Week. It was an entire week dedicated to the reveal of player ratings in Madden NFL 21, culminating with the release of the full roster of player ratings.
Madden NFL 21 will feature five players in the "99 Club," the special name designated for those who are given a 99 overall, the highest possible rating in the game. At launch, the following players will be rated with a 99 overall: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas.
It's important to note that player ratings in Madden are adjusted weekly depending on what happens throughout the season in real life. Weekly roster updates tweak player ratings, meaning players that begin the season in the Madden 21 99 Club could fall out of it if they don't play up to the standard. On the flip side, players who are already close, could end up joining the club midseason if they outperform their rating. Those on the cusp of greatness include Bobby Wagner (MLB, Seahawks), DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Cardinals), George Kittle (TE, 49ers), J.J. Watt (LE, Texans), and Zack Martin (RG, Cowboys) -- all of whom will begin the season rated 98 overall.
Lamar Jackson, the Madden NFL 21 cover athlete, is the third-best-rated quarterback in the game with 94 overall, behind Mahomes and Russell Wilson (Seahawks, 97 OVR). Jackson also boasts a blazing 96 speed, making him a true dual threat quarterback. He's among the fastest players in the game.
Joe Burrow (QB, Bengals) and Henry Ruggs III (WR, Raiders) are rated the highest among all of the rookies beginning their NFL career. Both will begin the Madden 21 season rated 76 overall. Ruggs III also boasts 98 speed, making him the second-fastest player in the game behind only Tyreek Hill (99 speed). The full list of player ratings for Madden 21 at launch can be found here.
Madden NFL 21 has an official release date of August 28; however, there's a three-day early access period for those who pre-order the game beginning on August 25. Madden NFL 21 will launch on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. It will also be available on Xbox Series X and PS5 with Dual Entitlement allowing for free upgrades. A Google Stadia launch is also planned as well.