Madden Ratings Of Former Hawkeyes Released

Kittle, Hyde among the players with high numbers.

While some are questioning whether the NFL season will happen, the world will be getting football in one way or another.

Madden NFL 21, the popular football video game franchise, hits stores in August, along with a slew of new players and improved veterans.

Time to go in-depth into what makes this year’s former Hawkeyes dangerous on the virtual gridiron.

Top-five veterans

George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers — 98 overall

Key attributes:
Speed – 88

Acceleration – 89

Strength – 82

Catching – 98

Run Blocking – 79

Kittle almost reached the coveted 99 Club in Madden 21, but he was kept one point short.

Still, Madden rates Kittle as the best tight end in football, with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce ranking second at 97 overall.

Kittle has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including a 1,377-yard year in 2018, which broke the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a season.

While he fell short in the Super Bowl, Madden still sees Kittle as a top-10 player in the league.

Micah Hyde, FS, Buffalo Bills — 88 overall

Key attributes:
Speed – 90

Acceleration – 90

Awareness – 92

Tackle – 71

Man Coverage – 81

Zone Coverage – 91

Hyde enters the new Madden season tied as the fifth-best free safety with Baltimore’s Earl Thomas III.

Only New England’s Devin McCourty, Tennessee’s Kevin Byard, Denver’s Justin Simmons, and Chicago’s Eddie Jackson were rated higher.

After picking off a pass and forcing two fumbles last season, Hyde will serve as a key playmaker in Buffalo’s strong defense.

Bryan Bulaga, RT, Los Angeles Chargers – 88 overall

Key attributes:

Strength – 88

Awareness – 91

Run Block – 78

Pass Block – 91

Impact Blocking – 87

Run Block Power – 79

Run Block Finesse – 73

Pass Block Power – 92

Pass Block Finesse – 88

Lead Block – 86

After nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers, the Madden ratings adjusters don’t think Bulaga will slip in his first season in Los Angeles.

Bulaga helped the Packers’ backs to 1,795 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. In the passing game, the offensive line allowed star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to be sacked 2.3 times per game.

Bulaga will certainly bolster an offensive line that will help a new quarterback ease into the starting role in 2020.

Desmond King II, CB, Los Angeles Chargers – 87 overall

Key attributes:

Speed – 88

Acceleration – 90

Agility – 94

Awareness – 92

Kick Return – 85

Man Coverage – 88

Zone Coverage – 92

With only 11 cornerbacks rated higher than King, the former Hawkeye helps to form one of the best cornerback groupings in football.

Paired with Casey Hayward Jr. and Chris Harris Jr., King will make life difficult for quarterbacks facing the Los Angeles defense.

With the fourth-best zone coverage rating in the game, King will shine in zone schemes. He also ranks in the top 10 in man coverage, though, so there are few ways to get the best of King.

His 85 kick return rating is tied for fifth-best in the game, making him one of Madden’s most versatile players. Not bad for a fifth-round draft pick.

Brandon Scherff, RG, Washington – 87 overall

Key attributes:
Strength – 92

Awareness – 87

Run Block – 87

Pass Block – 85

Impact Blocking – 89

Run Block Power – 85

Run Block Finesse – 90

Pass Block Power – 86

Pass Block Finesse – 84

Lead Block – 92

The top-rated player on Washington, Scherff will bring a lot to an offense that certainly needs him.

He will be most effective paving the way for running backs Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice, especially as a pulling guard.

While run blocking serves as the best part of Scherff’s game, he’s no slouch in pass protection. He still holds the highest pass blocking rating on the team. Quarterbacks Dwayne Haskins Jr. and Alex Smith will be virtually thanking Scherff a lot this season.

Top-five rookies

A.J. Epenesa, LE, Buffalo Bills – 72 overall

Key attributes:

Speed – 74

Acceleration – 81

Strength – 84

Power Moves – 75

Finesse Moves – 66

Block Shedding – 71

Hit Power – 81

Despite his second-round selection, Epenesa kicks his NFL career off as the highest-rated Hawkeye rookie.

He’s ranked as the fourth-best defensive end on Buffalo.

After notching 22 sacks in his final two seasons at Iowa, Epenesa will have plenty of time to break onto scene in Buffalo.

After a poor showing at the NFL Combine, Epenesa’s intangibles may be rated slightly lower in Madden. After a few weeks on the field, that could change.

Tristan Wirfs, RT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 71 overall

Key attributes:

Strength – 89

Awareness – 75

Run Block – 73

Pass Block – 73

Impact Blocking – 88

Run Block Power – 72

Run Block Finesse – 74

Pass Block Power – 72

Pass Block Finesse – 75

Lead Block – 84

It didn’t take long for Wirfs to make an impact on the Buccaneers’ roster. Without even playing a snap in the NFL, Wirfs has been rated as Tampa Bay’s best tackle.

With similar run blocking and pass blocking ratings, Wirfs should be able to get the job done, whether he’s blocking for Ronald Jones II or protecting Tom Brady.

Madden also must have seen the viral video of Wirfs jumping out of a pool, because the Mount Vernon native has the highest jumping rating (87) of any offensive lineman in the game.

Michael Ojemudia, CB, Denver Broncos – 68 overall

Key attributes:

Speed – 91

Acceleration – 92

Agility – 87

Awareness – 66

Man Coverage – 66

Zone Coverage – 70

On a secondary anchored by safety Justin Simmons and cornerback A.J. Bouye, Ojemudia comes in as the fourth-best cornerback on the Broncos’ roster.

If Ojemudia’s rating was based solely on his athleticism, he would be just fine. His speed and acceleration reached the lower 90s, while his agility sits in the upper 80s.

His coverage ratings didn’t follow suit, however.

Once Ojemudia finds his way onto the field, he’ll need to perform well to increase both his man and zone coverage ratings.

Geno Stone, SS, Baltimore Ravens – 68 overall

Key attributes:

Speed – 86

Acceleration – 89

Awareness – 68

Man Coverage – 59

Zone Coverage – 69

A seventh-round pick of the Ravens, Stone has an uphill battle in terms of proving his Madden worth.

Stone was never considered much of an athletic freak during the draft process, and that shows in his ratings.

To make matters worse, his man and zone coverage ratings didn’t receive any love, despite his ability to make plays with Iowa.

Even though he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time for the Hawkeyes, Stone’s play recognition rating sits at a 64.

Nate Stanley, QB, Minnesota Vikings – 53 overall

Key attributes:

Speed – 77

Acceleration – 84

Throw Power – 86

Throw Accuracy Short – 73

Throw Accuracy Medium – 65

Throw Accuracy Deep – 67

Play Action – 75

Throw on Run – 68

Despite a 53 overall rating, Stanley does not find himself in the bottom 10 quarterbacks in Madden.

While Stanley’s throw power rating is decent, his accuracy could use some help. Two of the three fall under a 70 rating, and his best doesn’t reach 75.

It’s a shame Madden doesn’t have a quarterback sneak rating.