The Best Rookies In Madden 25

Madden 25 is here for players with early access and just a few days away for everyone else. One of the most exciting parts of a new NFL season is all the new rookies making their way from college into the big leagues. Let's take a look at Madden 25's best rookies.
Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) warms up before facing the New Orleans Saints at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) warms up before facing the New Orleans Saints at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

New year new faces. That's one of the beauties of professional sports, especially the NFL. It's not all about the preestablished legendary players who have already solidified their team as one of the best teams. It's also about the new young players coming fresh out of college and coming into the big leagues wide eyed and full of optimism that they can turn a terrible garbage franchise around with their sheer talent alone.

Most notably are the quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye who despite being picked 1, 2, and 3 are not actually rated very highly. Madden veterans will know that this is normal. EA typically rates rookie quarterbacks lower than other positions because they tend to develop a lot faster and their ratings will change quicker.

Related Article: Top 100 Players in Madden 25

With all that being said, here are your top 5 rookies in Madden 25:

1. Marvin Harrison Jr, 79
2. Joe Alt, 79
3. JC Latham, 78
4. Olu Fashanu, 78
5. Brock Bowers, 78

1. Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Arizona Cardinals | 79 Overall

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr warms up before a preseason game.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) warms up before a preseason game on Aug. 10, 2024 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

While there were more conversations about where Marvin Harrison Jr was truly the best player, or even best WR, in the draft as we got closer and closer to draft night, he was generally considered the consensus best player in the entire draft and a potential generational talent at the wide receiver position.

It should come as no surprise he's tied up there as the highest-rated rookie in Madden 25. He's more than deserving of it based on his draft hype and potential ceiling.

2. Joe Alt, OT, Los Angeles Chargers | 79 Overall

Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt practices.
May 29, 2024; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) wears a Guardian helmet cap during organized team activities at Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One thing that will become apparent as we get further down this list is that first round offensive linemen rate very highly amongst rookies. Joe Alt was easily viewed as the best offensive lineman in this draft and it was no shocker that he was the first one taken.

Offensive linemen are never exciting draft picks and many Chargers fans preferred the Chargers take an electric playmaker like Malik Nabers (taken one pick later by the New York Giants). Still, the Chargers went with the tackle instead. Given how highly touted Joe Alt was by basically every single draft analyst and the generally higher ratings that high draft pick lineman tend to get, his 79 overall rating should come as no surprise.

3. JC Latham, OT, Tennessee Titans | 78 Overall

Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham gets ready to block during a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham (55) takes on San Francisco 49ers defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (94) to give quarterback Will Levis (8) time to throw during their first preseason game of the 2024-25 season at Nissan Stadium Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

In at number three is an offensive tackle from Alabama. The last Alabama OT taken this high in the draft was Evan Neal, and he is probably about as effective at blocking NFL pass rushers as a 3-year-old with a sock 'em bopper yelling stop would be, but hey here's to hoping JC Latham is different.

He clocks in with a 78, a high rating for a rookie which makes sense given he's an OL.

Similar Article: The Best Quarterbacks in Madden 25

4. Olu Fashanu, OT, New York Jets | 78 Overall

New York Jets offensive tackle Olu Fashanu warms up during training camp.
Jul 25, 2024; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets offensive tackle Olu Fashanu (74) warms up during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Another OT comes in at number four with the New York Jets' 11th overall pick Olu Fashanu. Fashanu was a great player in college and was the third-best OT in this draft, according to ESPN, and was the third OT taken in this draft.

Just like the offensive linemen above him, his high overall of 78 is more of a reflection of his position and draft spot than necessarily his talent compared to other rookies, since as we've established, offensive linemen are generally rated higher and positions like quarterback are generally rated lower as rookies.

5. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders | 78 Overall

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is tackled in a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) is tackled against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

It's not extremely often a tight end gets taken in the top 15 of the NFL draft and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers did it by getting selected 13th overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. Bowers was one of the more hyped and talked about prospects coming into this draft with many mocks having him taken even higher in the top 10.

With how much hype surrounded him heading into the draft, getting a 78 overall is hardly surprising.


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Ben Fitzsimmons

BEN FITZSIMMONS