‘Madden NFL 15’ Top Rookies Revealed, Manziel Not Included

EA Sports began releasing the player ratings for Madden NFL 15 today and kicked things off by revealing the top rookies. The upcoming PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 football sim has 13 total rookies who have been given top honors, but the Cleveland Browns’ Johnny Manziel is not one of them.

The Houston Texan linebacker / defensive end Jadeveon Clowney unsurprisingly tops the list of best rated rookies. His overall numbers are perhaps a little lower than expected with only an 83, however. Massive former Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is right behind Clowney with an overall rating of 83 as well, but it’s not clear what gives the former South Carolina defensive end the edge.

Linebacker Khalil Mack, drafted by the Oakland Raiders, slots in as the third rated player with an overall rating of 81. He shares that rating with the number four rookie, Atlanta right tackle Jake Matthews.

It isn’t until we reach the fifth ranked player that we reach a skill position. Former Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins gets the Buffalo Bills on the board thanks to his 90+ speed, acceleration and agility that results in an 80 overall rating.

He is followed by New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor (79 overall), St. Louis Ram defensive tackle Aaron Donald (79), Green Bay Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton Dix (79), Tennessee Titans right tackle Taylor Lewan (79), Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (78), Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Daqueze Dennard (78), Tampa Bay Bucaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (78) and Dallas Cowboys right guard Zack Martin (78).

The order of the rookie rankings and the overall numbers themselves are not all the surprising given that skill position players, especially quarterbacks, are expected to struggle their first year in the NFL. Still, Blake Bortles was drafted overall at number 14 while Johnny Manziel was picked up with 22nd pick. How much further down in the rankings will the controversial quarterback fall? It will probably be only a few points in the overall rankings.

Madden NFL 15 will be released to the PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 on August 29. EA Sports is promising a more defensive focus with this year’s edition. This includes an all-new tackling system featuring a “tackle cone” to give players a better feel on whether to go for the big hit or the sure tackle. There are also new pass rush moves to help players get off the line and into the quarterback’s face.