As the 2024 NFL season creeps closer, the anticipation for the season — and the new edition of Madden — continues to grow.
With many high-profile names drafted in April, ratings-wise, this rookie class has a chance to be impressive out of the gate. We look at some of the biggest names and who may be rated the highest.
Who Will Be Madden’s Highest-Rated Rookies?
The big names are known. With players like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels going No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2024 NFL Draft, respectively, it’s easy to assume they may have the highest ratings of all rookies. However, a few players who went afterward could challenge them as the highest-rated rookies in the class.
Many draft experts had former Ohio State WR and the No. 4 overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Marvin Harrison Jr., as their top-ranked player in the 2024 NFL Draft. Given his talent and athleticism, Harrison could easily best the top-drafted quarterbacks as the highest-rated player in this year’s rookie class.
Marvin Harrison Jr. snags one from Kyler Murray during Arizona Cardinals OTAs. #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/9JK92pJYvV
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) June 5, 2024
Another name that could be in contention for the highest-rated rookie is Notre Dame product and Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt. Alt comes to Los Angeles hoping to take the Chargers’ offensive line to the next level and does so as the most complete OL prospect in a strong class.
Joe Alt is a massive, massive man 😳 pic.twitter.com/cZBRADHb4T
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) May 15, 2024
It’s hard to quantify a lineman’s ability, but given Alt’s draft position and the upside he displayed in college, he should have a very high Madden grade for a rookie.
When Does Madden Reveal the Ratings?
It’s unknown when the ratings will be released, but previous years can help clue us in on how it may roll out this summer.
MORE: Projecting Every Starting Quarterback’s Rating in Madden NFL 25
Last season, “Madden Ratings Week” revealed the game’s initial ratings from July 17 to July 23. It served as a lead-up to the game’s release date of Aug. 18. While there is no official word yet, something similar should be expected.
How Does Madden Come Up With Rookie Ratings?
Rookie ratings and how Madden formulates them is the same process they use for all NFL players. It’s a combination of analytics, various testing metrics, college production, and the fit for the organization they were drafted by.
Chad Johnson: The new Madden Ratings Adjuster
If you have a problem with your ratings … call him 😂 pic.twitter.com/RjP84jwrCf
— ESPN (@espn) January 26, 2020
Madden has a team of ratings adjusters who work throughout the year, adjusting as the season goes on and deep into the offseason as new data is collected to provide the most accurate rating information.
Who Were Last Year’s Top-Rated Rookies?
Last year’s version of Madden had four offensive rookies in the top five spots for the highest ratings when the game dropped. The group featured two running backs — Atlanta Falcons’ star Bijan Robinson (85) and Detroit Lions dynamo Jahmyr Gibbs (79) — who ranked Nos. 1 and 4, respectively.
Seattle Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon came in at No. 2 with an 83 overall. Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers (82) and Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud (77) rounded out the group.
From there, it was their play that dictated the final Madden end-of-season rankings. Most saw their rankings rise, while one had theirs drop, painting a clearer picture of how EA Sports and the NFL world viewed their rookie campaigns.
Gibbs saw the biggest jump, finishing the year at an 83 overall, while Stroud finished at 80, and Flowers and Witherspoon both finished at 84.
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The only player of the bunch who saw his overall rating decrease at the end of the season was Robinson, who dropped three points down to an 82.