'Madden NFL 25' reveal: Grading overall ratings for top 10 wide receivers, safeties
A rundown of the highest-ranked players
by Cody Benjamin · CBS Sports"Madden NFL 25" is coming soon. And now we have a taste of the game's player ratings, with Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill revealed as the first member of this year's "99 Club."
Which players will join Hill as the top-rated wide receivers in "Madden 25"? And how about the safeties tasked with covering such explosive pass catchers? Below, we've got a full rundown of the top 10 overall-rated players at both positions in "Madden NFL 25," plus our reaction to the ratings:
Top 10 WRs
Player | Team | Rating | Our Grade |
---|---|---|---|
Tyreek Hill | Dolphins | 99 | Just Right |
Justin Jefferson | Vikings | 98 | Too Low |
CeeDee Lamb | Cowboys | 96 | Just Right |
A.J. Brown | Eagles | 95 | Just Right |
Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | 95 | Just Right |
Davante Adams | Raiders | 94 | Just Right |
Ja'Marr Chase | Bengals | 93 | Too Low |
Stefon Diggs | Texans | 92 | Just Right |
Brandon Aiyuk | 49ers | 91 | Too High |
Mike Evans | Buccaneers | 91 | Just Right |
Hill may not be a full tier above guys like Brown and Chase as the ratings suggest, but he deserves the "99" for his unmatched speed alone; no one can fly downfield like he does, even at 30. Jefferson has consistently been the NFL's top play-maker when healthy, so it's odd he doesn't share the "99" designation. Chase drawing a "93" feels like maybe the biggest slight, considering he's nearly matched Jefferson in big-play splash when fully healthy. Aiyuk, meanwhile, could arguably use another year of All-Pro production to be squarely affixed in the elite category.
Top 10 safeties
Player | Team | Rating | Our Grade |
---|---|---|---|
Jessie Bates III | Falcons | 97 | Too High |
Antoine Winfield Jr. | Buccaneers | 94 | Too Low |
Minkah Fitzpatrick | Steelers | 93 | Just Right |
Derwin James Jr. | Chargers | 91 | Just Right |
Tyrann Mathieu | Saints | 91 | Too High |
Budda Baker | Cardinals | 90 | Too High |
Kevin Byard III | Bears | 89 | Too High |
Kyle Hamilton | Ravens | 89 | Too Low |
Talanoa Hufanga | 49ers | 88 | Just Right |
Jevon Holland | Dolphins | 88 | Too High |
Contrary to wide receiver, which feels especially indebted to today's young and emerging stars, the safety group here plays like a who's who of yesteryear. Mathieu, Baker and Byard have all been top-shelf defenders at different points in their career, but injuries and inconsistencies have plagued them more recently; their names currently feel a bit bigger than their on-field results. It's astounding, actually, that Hamilton isn't clocking in ahead of them after a do-it-all breakout at the heart of the Ravens' elite defense. Winfield, meanwhile, has arguably been just as dominant patrolling the back end as Bates.