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‘Madden NFL 18’ Ratings For Penn State Alumni In The NFL

The new “Madden NFL” video game will be released to the public August 25, and with that, every NFL player’s Madden ratings are as well.

Every player on an active NFL roster is ranked based on their NFL performance last season, including the many Penn State alumni currently in the league.

For those unfamiliar with how “Madden” ratings work, every player is given an overall rating between 1-99 based on their real-life strengths, weaknesses, and skills. The overall rating is a weighted average of many ratings of specific attributes, such as speed, strength, and agility.

Some of these attributes matter more for certain players than others; for example, a defensive back won’t be punished for having poor throwing accuracy as much as a quarterback is. Here’s how some of Penn State’s more notable NFL alumni stack up in “Madden NFL 18.”

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Godwin kicks off our list with a 75 overall ranking, which is very respectable for a rookie. The third-round pick’s speed (91), agility (86), and jumping (86) all stand out as his best attributes. His catching and spectacular catch rankings (82) are a bit more modest, but as he progresses in the NFL, these will certainly improve.

Christian Hackenberg, New York Jets

Although Christian Hackenberg has made headlines for doing relatively well at Jets training camp this year, “Madden” seems to think that the quarterback isn’t ready for the starting job. His throwing accuracy (72) is not great compared to other NFL quarterbacks, but the game clearly knows that Hack has a strong arm (95 throw power). His speed (78) also stands out as a strong attribute and is four points higher than Colts’ QB Andrew Luck’s speed (74).

Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys

After an excellent 2016 season in Dallas, most of the Cowboys have received boosts to their rating, including Sean Lee. His 91 overall rating ranks him among the highest of all outside linebackers in the NFL. Lee’s intelligence is accurately reflected in the video game through 96 ratings for awareness and play recognition, and his tackling (96) also ranks among the best in the league.

Cameron Wake

Cameron Wake has been a stalwart on the Dolphins’ defensive line for years now, so the fact that his overall score is still as high as 89 is impressive. Dolphins fans know how accurate his high rankings for power moves (94), awareness (92), and strength (85) are; he is entering his ninth NFL season with Miami after signing on in 2009.

Navorro Bowman, San Francisco 49ers

Although the 49ers have fallen on hard times since being Super Bowl contenders in the early 2010s, one constant on the team has been linebacker Navorro Bowman. He is a very balanced middle linebacker, boasting high ratings in hit power (93), awareness (90), and play recognition (90). His days terrorizing defenses alongside ex-49er Patrick Willis may be over, but he is still one of the better middle linebackers in football.

Other notable ratings: Paul Posluzsny, Jacksonville (87 overall); Jesse James, TE, Pittsburgh (78); Tamba Hali, Kansas City (82); Gerald Hodges, OLB, Buffalo (79); Carl Nassib, Cleveland (71).

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About the Author

Mikey Mandarino

In the most upsetting turn of events, Mikey graduated from Penn State with a digital & print journalism degree in the spring of 2020. He covered Penn State football and served as an editor for Onward State from 2018 until his graduation. Mikey is from Bedminster, New Jersey, so naturally, he spends lots of time yelling about all the best things his home state has to offer. Mikey also loves to play golf, but he sucks at it because golf is really hard. If you, for some reason, feel compelled to see what Mikey has to say on the internet, follow him on Twitter @Mikey_Mandarino. You can also get in touch with Mikey via his big-boy email address: [email protected]

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