Millions of gamers are anxiously awaiting the release of the latest edition of the definitive sports video game, the Madden NFL series. The developers at EA Sports revealed the initial player ratings for all the 2019 rookies that will be included in the Madden NFL 20 game, which will be released on consoles later this summer.
The Lions have a prominent one in T.J. Hockenson. The tight end scores very high in EA’s launch ratings. Hockenson is tied for the fourth-highest overall rating with a 77, a mark which also makes the Iowa product the highest-rated tight end in an impressive rookie class.
Hockenson’s full initial player card:
Second-rounder Jahlani Tavai starts out with a 69 rating. Interestingly, the next-highest Madden rating doesn’t belong to third-round pick Will Harris or fourth-rounder Austin Bryant. Instead, fifth-round CB Amani Oruwariye follows Tavai with an overall rating of 68.
The full rookie class and their initial ratings:
- Hockenson – 77
- Tavai – 69
- Harris – 68
- Bryant – 66
- Travis Fulgham – 66
- Ty Johnson – 66
- Isaac Nauta – 67
- P.J. Johnson – 62
And the undrafted rookies who made the cut…
Malik Carney – 63
Tre Lamar – 62
Beau Benzschawel – 60
Ryan Pope – 56
The figures do get updated based on actual on-field play. For non-gamers, the ratings are a good reflection on how the metric analysts feel about the players before they take the field, based primarily on athletic traits and college performance.
