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Finding the top young players is usually an effective strategy in Madden 25 Franchise Mode. These players give your squad significant value because they will be good for a very long period and eventually develop into stars.
However, since EA Sports revealed their Madden NFL 25 player ratings, there have been numerous discussions concerning young players — especially rookies—who are undervalued or who ought to have been ranked higher.
It makes sense that rookies are the most difficult category of players to rank in any Madden edition, as these gifted young men are yet to establish their value on an NFL field.
Let's look at the top five underrated rookies in Madden 25 right now. Do note that there's no set order for the list, which is completely subjective.
Five most underrated Madden 25 rookies
1) QB Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
Overall Rating: 70
Perhaps the most undervalued rookie quarterback rating in this edition belongs to Michael Penix Jr.
He accumulated around 5,000 yards passing last year while playing for the University of Washington. He elevated the squad to the status of a legitimate challenger for the National Championship before the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2024 draft.
Penix stands out from many other quarterbacks in his Draft class due to his ability to read defenses, precision on deep balls and general anticipation. It's difficult to comprehend how a quarterback with that talent level could have been given a low medium accuracy rating.
Although the Madden ratings treat Penix as an unproven young player, it's still inexcusable that two QBs taken after Penix in the draft, J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix, are ranked one point higher.
2) WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs
Overall Rating: 75
Xavier Worthy was selected with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Although Madden 25's creators gave the explosive wide receiver an overall rating of 75, they appear to have rated Worthy's speed incorrectly.
The Chiefs selected the wide receiver out of Texas in the first round of the draft after he broke the 40-yard dash record in the combine with a time of 4.21 seconds. It's perplexing how Worthy has received a speed rating of 98 instead of the highest attainable attribute score of 99 in Madden, despite that combine performance.
It's expected that Worthy will have a major influence during his debut season and could eventually end up with an 80+ rating before the year closes.
3) OL Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers
Overall Rating: 70
Another youngster whose skills Madden fails to adequately showcase is Dominick Puni. The Kansas product's toughness and positional flexibility are major factors why he's highly rated, so his 68 ranking for agility in Madden 25 could have been better.
Puni’s general ranking may rise as the season progresses, as he possesses the abilities to contend and earn a starting guard position during his debut season with the Niners.
4) CB Cam Hart, Los Angeles Chargers
Overall Rating: 69
One of the biggest mysteries of the 2024 NFL draft is probably how Cam Hart ended up going in the fifth round. That most likely had an effect on the cornerback's Madden 25 rating as well.
Hart isn't particularly fast but is big enough (six-foot-three, 202 pounds, 33 inches in the arms) and has the athleticism to be a productive NFL player.
There's a good reason to anticipate Hart outdoing his Madden rating, especially if he emerges as a contributor to the Los Angeles Chargers' defense early in his career.
5) WR Johnny Wilson, Philadelphia Eagles
Overall Rating: 68
Johnny Wilson's speed rating of 88 was likely accurate, but the Madden team grossly undervalued certain other facets of his game.
Wilson, who averaged 18.0 yards per reception over his final two years at Florida State, possesses a unique combination of size and explosive playmaking skills. He will likely become better at the following rankings: 70 for medium route running, 71 for awareness, 78 for catching and 70 for strength.
Wilson might contribute significantly to the Eagles this season if he performs well. He is a player to watch and has the potential to surprise everyone.
