'Madden NFL 15' Rookie Ratings

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Prime Time

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Madden NFL 15 Player Ratings: Tracking Latest Reveals by EA Sports
By Sean ODonnell

The first wave of the Madden NFL 15 player ratings is officially in.

On Monday evening, the folks at EA Sports announced the overall numbers for the highest-rated rookies in this year's edition of the storied video game franchise.

Madden gamers are well aware a rookie with an initial rating of at least 80 is incredibly high. Well, the fact that five first-year players matched or bettered that number shouldn't be surprising due to a very deep draft class in 2014.

So, which players top the charts this year? Here's your first glimpse:

Madden NFL 15 Player Ratings

Player.........................Position...........Team.................................Rating
Jadeveon Clowney.....OLB.................Houston Texans................83
Greg Robinson...........OL....................St. Louis Rams..................83
Khalil Mack.................OLB.................Oakland Raiders................81
Jake Matthews...........OL....................Atlanta Falcons..................81
Sammy Watkins.........WR...................Buffalo Bills........................80
Calvin Pryor................S......................New York Jets....................79
Aaron Donald..............DT...................St. Louis Rams...................79
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.......S......................Green Bay Packers............79
Taylor Lewan..............OL....................Tennessee Titans..............79
Blake Bortles..............QB....................Jacksonville Jaguars..........78
Darqueze Dennard.....CB....................Cincinnati Bengals..............78
Mike Evans.................WR...................Tampa Bay Buccaneers.....78
Zack Martin.................OL.....................Dallas Cowboys.................78
EASports.com

The official ratings release can be found at EASports.com.

The release also comes with a video preview, complete with advanced ratings:

 

bluecoconuts

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I haven't bought Madden in years. I'm waiting for them to make a real improvement first. I'd like to, but I get bored from it too quickly.
 

DCH

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I haven't bought Madden in years. I'm waiting for them to make a real improvement first. I'd like to, but I get bored from it too quickly.
If they offer free Sunday Ticket again, I'll probably get it. Haven't gotten a copy in about 5 years. Wish they would release for WiiU - that controller is tailor-made for calling plays.
 

Prime Time

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Madden NFL 15: Behind the scenes of game's rookie ratings
Vinnie Iyer @vinnieiyer


  • Mike Evans (EA Sports)

    "We start with watching film from the guys when they're playing in college," Moore said. "We look at the measurables, and then the scouting reports start coming in, and then we start creating the guys. We compare them with who's already in the league and being rating them in each category.

    "We make sure to hit on their weaknesses as much as their strengths. The big challenge is to make sure everything looks in line with the draft projections. Just because we love a guy like Logan Thomas, he's not going to be like Blake Bortles. We put a lot of weight into why teams draft players in certain positions. We don't put much weight into our more-personal thing. It's about trying to incorporate everyone's opinion and all the data to come up with a very good representation of the player in Madden."

    Moore and his crew also tweak a rookie's ratings based on offseason reports. For example, Bortles was ranked ahead of the Jaguars' projected starting quarterback, Chad Henne, because of his great physical skill set over that of the journeyman's. But if there's news about Bortles struggling to make the NFL transition, his ratings in awareness and accuracy would be lowered accordingly.

    "We try to stay on top of all the OTA stuff and make adjustments not just for rookies, but for the entire league," Moore said.


    The top 10 rookies (make that 13) for Madden 15
    1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE/OLB, Texans; Greg Robinson, T/G, Rams, 83 rating

    "Both of those guys share in common that they're physical freaks," Moore said. "With Clowney, it's what he did at the Combine and what he brings to the table as a pass-rush terror. He has 95 hit power, which is tied for No. 1 among rookies. A lot of it is what we saw on film, and that hit against Michigan in the Outback Bowl two years ago speaks for itself. At the same time, we've given him a 72 stamina rating, probably not a three-down player. Robinson is the top run-blocking rookie, and third overall among left guards. He's got a 78 pass block rating, which shows he has room for improvement there."


    Jadeveon Clowney (EA Sports)

    3. Khalil Mack, OLB, Raiders; Jake Matthews, T, Falcons, 81 rating


    Khalil Mack (EA Sports)

    5. Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills, 80 rating

    "That puts him two points below Mike Williams, a receiver on his own team," Moore said. "Stats-wise, that puts him at about a 60-reception, 900-yard, seven-touchdown guy. Watkins has 93 speed, 95 acceleration, 95 agility. For his awareness, he might have a few drops, a few incorrect routes here and there, but for his physical stuff, he's great. A guy like him, you build around in franchise mode."

    6. Calvin Pryor, S, Jets; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Packers; Aaron Donald, DT, Rams; Taylor Lewan, T, Titans, 79 rating

    "Pryor is tied with Clowney with 95 hit power. He's a force against the run," Moore said. "Clinton-Dix, is more of an all-around guy. He has 85 zone coverage, 75 catch and 85 speed. He can kind of do everything. We don't really think about rating Pryor ahead of Clinton-Dix just because he was drafted a few spots ahead."

    10. Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars; Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers; Darqueze Dennard, CB, Bengals; Zack Martin, G/T, Cowboys, 78 rating

    "Evans has a couple things that puts him down there," Moore said." He's not a speed burner, but at 6-5, 230 pounds, how could he be? He's still got 89 speed and 89 catch, the top rating there for a rookie. On the surface, it looks like he doesn't look good in the 70s, but that size and how he can go up and catch the ball is going to nice in Madden."

    Which first-round pick were you surprised that didn’t make the top 10?

    "I spent time trying to get cornerback Justin Gilbert (Browns, No. 8 overall) into more of a top-10 pick, because he's got great measurables, but he wasn't really good in terms of tackling or giving much against the run," Moore said. "So I had to find some extra reasons to get him up a little bit."

    Speaking of the Browns, where do you have Johnny Manziel rated?

    "He didn't make the top 10, and we'll reveal his number with the rest of the Browns ratings will be released on August 1. But in general, he's got a good arm for a little guy," Moore said. "it really came across how he well he could throw the ball. He's obviously got great mobility in the pocket, although he's not as fast as RG3 (low-to-mid 80s speed). It still will be a lot of fun to play with him as a Browns fan as a guy to build around."
 

Legatron4

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Damn, Greg Robinson got an 83? Even as a Rams fan you gotta think it's a little high for a rookie. Still, the Rams will be the most fun to play with since Holt and
Bruce were in their prime. I'm hoping our safeties aren't too low. I'm guessing 75 to 78.
 

Legatron4

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I haven't bought Madden in years. I'm waiting for them to make a real improvement first. I'd like to, but I get bored from it too quickly.

Idk man, I enjoy madden more and more every year. Better graphics, better game play. I miss Superstar mode though. That was the best. Plus I heard they will include music again this year.
 

bwdenverram

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Damn, Greg Robinson got an 83? Even as a Rams fan you gotta think it's a little high for a rookie. Still, the Rams will be the most fun to play with since Holt and
Bruce were in their prime. I'm hoping our safeties aren't too low. I'm guessing 75 to 78.

Robinson didn't get the pub Clowney got because he's a lineman. But I think he was every bit as dominant in his position as Clowney was at DE
 

PrometheusFaulk

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"Robinson is the top run-blocking rookie, and third overall among left guards."

Whoa. High praise from the nerd crew. Third best run blocker among left guards? Nice.