Titans' Cam Ward earns lowest Madden rookie rating for No. 1 pick in 24 years

The expectations that come with being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft are massive, particularly for a quarterback. Matching them in year one is difficult. Even Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford struggled to put wins on the board as rookies before proving in year two and beyond that they were legitimate faces of their franchise.

This year, those expectations fall squarely on the shoulders of Titans QB Cam Ward — but are they as steep as other top picks have experienced?

Tennessee isn't considered a contender of any sort after a 3-14 season, and Ward headlined a quarterback class widely considered subpar. The Titans know 2025 could be the very start of a long process to get to where they want to be, and Ward's rookie Madden rating reflects those tempered expectations.

Here's a look at Ward's Madden 26 rating and how it compared to other No. 1 overall picks.

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Cam Ward Madden 26 rating

Ward received a rating of 72 in Madden 26, which released ratings for all rookies on Wednesday.

The Titans quarterback enjoyed an excellent season at Miami in 2024, separating himself from the pack and becoming the slam-dunk No. 1 pick by draft night, but he headlined a quarterback class generally considered to be one of the weaker groups in recent memory. Only one other quarterback was selected in the first round, and Ward is the only rookie quarterback locked in as a starter entering Week 1 (though New Orleans' Tyler Shough is considered a strong contender to start as well). 

Four rookies earned a rating of 80 or higher: Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter (84), Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty (83), Giants EDGE Abdul Carter (81) and Browns DT Mason Graham (80). 

While Ward is the highest-rated quarterback ahead of Jaxson Dart (68), Shough (68) and Shedeur Sanders (67), he is one of the lowest-rated No. 1 picks in the history of the video game. Here are more details on where Ward ranks among the lowest ratings earned by a top pick. 

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Lowest Madden rating for No. 1 pick

With data only going back to 2001, the lowest Madden ratings on record for a No. 1 overall pick in their rookie season belong to Ward and Michael Vick, who each earned a rating of 72.

2019 No. 1 pick Kyler Murray closely followed with a rating of 73, while 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young was handed a 74 ahead of his rookie season.

Here is every No. 1 pick to earn a rating of 76 or lower in their Madden debut: 

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All-time No. 1 pick Madden ratings 

Here's a look at every Madden rookie rating for a No. 1 pick in the last 25 years, with Mario Williams (86) leading the way, while Vick and Ward rank last at 72.

Quarterbacks selected No. 1 overall have generally seen their rookie ratings drop in the 2020s, with Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams all sitting at 78 or lower after Sam Bradford, JaMarcus Russell, Alex Smith and Matthew Stafford all came in at 79 or higher in their Madden debuts.

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