Following the announcement of Madden NFL 26's illustrious 99 Club, EA Sports has released the initial ratings for the NFL's rookie class.
Leading the pack with the strongest rating is Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter, the winner of the Heisman Trophy in 2024 and second overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. Hunter claims the top spot with 84 OVR, sporting high general stats, including a perfect 99 in Stamina, 96 in Jumping and 95 in Agility. These stats complement his strong suit of skills in the Defense, Receiving and Ballcarrier categories. Hunter's Receiving stats are all in the 80s already.
Here are the top ten rookies as rated by Madden NFL 26:
Travis Hunter -- CB, Jacksonville Jaguars (84 OVR)
Ashton Jeanty -- HB, Las Vegas Raiders (83 OVR)
Abdul Carter -- LE, New York Giants (81 OVR)
Mason Graham -- DT, Cleveland Browns (80 OVR)
Jalon Walker -- LE, Atlanta Falcons (79 OVR)
Will Campbell -- LT, New England Patriots (79 OVR)
Jahdae Barron -- CB, Denver Broncos (78 OVR)
Kenneth Grant -- DT, Miami Dolphins (78 OVR)
Maxwell Hairston -- CB, Buffalo Bills (78 OVR)
Mykel Williams -- RE, San Francisco 49ers (78 OVR)
Cam Ward, the 2025 NFL Draft's first overall pick, is missing from the top ten. EA Sports rated the Tennessee Titans quarterback with 72 OVR. His Passing stats range from the high 70s into the low 90s, though, which is a strong starting point for further build-up. In addition, EA rated his Toughness, Stamina, Acceleration and Speed quite highly, making him a solid package.
Another prominent rookie landing outside of the top ten is Shedeur Sanders, who's joined his father and elder brother among the ranks of the NFL. Selected by the Cleveland Browns, the quarterback was rated 67 OVR. In comparison to Ward, Sanders is a little tougher and more resistant to injury, though not quite as quick on his feet. The Titans' pick also has the edge when it comes to the Throwing category, although it's generally a close contest between the two.
Ward is the highest-rated quarterback among this year's rookies, followed by the Giants' Jaxson Dart and the New Orleans Saints' Tyler Shough, who both beat Sanders by a single point.
