This year’s NFL Draft has come and gone, with most teams opening their rookie mini-camps next week. As this year’s class of newcomers attempt to find their footing with their teams, gamers are looking towards this year’s release of Madden NFL 22, slated to drop in August, and where this year’s rookies’ overall ratings come in at.
Without an NFL resume to lean on, even the highest drafted rookies enter Madden with fairly low overall ratings. While Madden ratings are likely to change throughout the season based on each player’s production, a look at college stats, workout results, and comparable players can give a glimpse into who may start with the highest rookie ratings in Madden 22.
Taking these factors into consideration, these three players may be the highest-rated freshmen in the league. When Madden 22 releases, the following players may be ones to watch.
Penei Sewell, #7 overall pick, offensive tackle, Detroit Lions
The top offensive line prospect in the NFL draft this year, Sewell comes into the Motor City as an instant starter on newly-acquired quarterback Jared Goff’s blindside, and has a chance to become a perennial All-Pro at tackle. At six-foot-five and 340 pounds, and coming in with an 86th-percentile performance on the bench press (according to Mockdraftable) Sewell enters the league as a dominating physical presence, which should contribute to high strength, block power, and impact block ratings.
Allowing only one sack through his two seasons at Oregon will help boost Sewell’s overall as well, as his block finesse and footwork Madden 22 ratings should be the highest of any rookie in the class. Sewell is the highest-drafted tackle since Baltimore’s Ronnie Stanley in 2016, who had a 79 overall at Madden 17’s drop. With Sewell outperforming Stanley in most physical categories, and his outstanding college performance as a blocker, Sewell should come in with a slightly higher overall, and prove to be a building block for players looking to build a dynasty in Madden 22's franchise mode.
Projected overall: 82
Kyle Pitts, #4 overall pick, tight end, Atlanta Falcons
Touted as the best all-around prospect in this year’s draft class, Atlanta added Pitts to Matt Ryan’s aerial arsenal, ing fellow first-round picks Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. While drafted as a tight end, Pitts’ slender six-foot-six frame, his elite speed (his 4.44 second 40-yard dash ranks in the 98th percentile for tight ends, per Mockdraftable) make him nearly incomparable to other tight ends who will be available in Madden 22.
Pitts’ workout numbers, size, and his field-stretching abilities (nearly 18 yards-per-catch his junior year) compare more favorably to another super-sized -catcher drafted in the top five, Calvin Johnson. While Pitts receiving Johnson’s starting Madden 2008 overall of 87 (or Megatron's dancing skills) is unlikely, Pitts’ footspeed, solid strength (Mockdraftable lists him at 67th percentile in the bench press), and likely high spectacular catch rating, due to his 84-inch wingspan and solid jumping numbers, should make Pitts one of the game’s highest-rated tight ends in the league from the outset.
Projected overall: 81
Trevor Lawrence, #1 overall pick, quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
The first overall pick of this year’s draft, Lawrence enters the NFL with more fanfare than any quarterback in recent memory. Pinned since high school as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, Lawrence is expected to step in immediately to guide a fairly talented Jaguars offense back to the playoffs. With Lawrence all but assured to be the top pick in the draft, he did not participate in the workouts at Clemson’s pro day, but a look into his college statistics shines light on how he may pan out in Madden 22.
Averaging over ten air-yards per attempt in 2020, and launching 70-yard throws at his pro day according to quarterback to build around in this year's Madden.
Projected overall: 79
Sewell, Pitts, and Lawrence have great chances of being generational talents, both on the field and in Madden 22. These three players, while untested in the NFL, bring skillsets to the table that should ensure they are top players in not only Madden 22, but in future installments as well.
Source: Mockdraftable, For The Win
