Rookie ratings for Madden NFL 16, the popular EA Sports title, have been released by the electronic gaming enterprise for fans awaiting the upcoming release of the new product, set to drop to consumers on August 25th of this summer.
While two quarterbacks were taken with the top selections in the 2015 NFL Draft, the highest-rated rookie to be playable on Madden NFL 16 is fourth overall pick Amari Cooper, a wideout out of Alabama. Cooper will be the only newly-picked player rated as high as 82, however four other members of the 2015 draft class are at 80 or above. His key stats will be 92 Speed, 94 Agility, and 87 Catching.
Top draftee Jameis Winston of the Florida State Seminoles will be an 81-rated player on the game, immensely upgrading the quarterback position for Bucs fans who enjoy playing with their team on Madden. He will have a whopping 95 Throw Power and 88 Throw Accuracy Short. Oregon Duck and now Tennessee Titan Marcus Mariota was given a number three units lower despite only being one pick lower on the draft board from Winston. Mariota's stats are more balanced between the double threat of run and pass, as he has 87 Throw Accuracy Short and 88 Throw Accuracy Mid, as well as 90 Throw on the Run, 88 Speed, 90 Acceleration, and 79 Elusiveness.
The other three 80-plus rookies are running back Todd Gurley of the Saint Louis Rams, defensive lineman Leonard WIlliams of the New York Jets, and right tackle Brandon Scherff of the Washington Redskins. All three are right at the 80 mark, setting Cooper and Winston apart as the top players in their Madden draft class.
In Electronic Arts' release of the top ten rookies, the other players featured were Dante Fowler Jr. (79), Melvin Gordon (78), Kevin White (78), and Vic Beasley (77). Beasley, while lowest on this list, has a rookie-high 92 jumping from the defensive end position. Maybe he could be seen as the budget version of J.J. Watt on the game?
Rookie ratings this year seem to be a bit high, considering that none of these players are league tested. Jameis Winston has the same overall rating as two-time Super Bowl MVP and champion Eli Manning had in Madden NFL 15. Obviously, not all of these players can meet expectations and all the hype surrounding their opening NFL campaigns, but it will indeed be intriguing to observe which shine, which crumble, and which will have severely altered ratings for Madden NFL 17.
