After being disappointed that Joe Burrow only had a rating of 76 overall by Madden 2021 I was hoping that the EA Sports guys would start getting it right in our later picks. Tee Higgins rating was released and his overall is 71. This rating places him as the 10th best WR in the rookie class. 10th best sounds better than 71 overall but in my post-draft Madden rating analysis I had him at 76.
Here is what I said:
Justification: In Madden 2020 the highest WR rating was Hollywood Brown with a 77. This WR class was DEEP which is why Tee Higgins fell to 33. Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb will likely score higher than 77 because they are more highly rated than Brown and better players quite frankly. K’Neal Harris went #32 last year to the Patriots and got a 74. D.K. Metcalf received a 76 and I think Higgins was a better talent. Bottom line, he could be higher.
BengalsGM 5/20/2020
The Madden 2021 numbers are just lower than 2020. Henry Ruggs III’s rating was a 76 and if we look down the list and compare guys like Justin Jefferson, Tee Higgins, Jalen Reagor, Brandon Aiyuk, Laviska Shenault and Michael Pittman Jr. are also considered not as good as K’Neal Harris. This is where I throw the BS flag on the Madden rating this season.
The rating I did agree with was his Special Catch which came in at 86. The Bengals have two….maybe three…..guys in AJ Green, Auden Tate and Tee Higgins who can make plays around the ball in the air. AJ juggles, Auden stretches and Higgins is going to jump. None of this might even be needed with how accurate Joe Burrow is in person. These guys sound like needs for a thrower like Andy Dalton (sorry Bad Andy).
If the overall scores are down this year it still does not justify Burrow’s 76 in my mind. He had the single greatest season as a QB in NCAA history. What is Chase Young going to come in at, 77? If Jeff Okudah or Andrew Thomas come in at higher I might push over a John Madden statue.