Madden 26 ratings prove why Jaguars zeroed in on Travis Hunter in the NFL Draft

Back at Buffalo, Travis Hunter got the spotlight for his ability to play two ways full-time. The Jacksonville Jaguars recognized just how much of a unique talent he was and didn't hesitate to move up in the 2025 NFL draft to select him second overall. So far, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner has been everything the Jags bargained for, and then some. And if there were any doubts that he will be a game-changer at the pro level, his Madden 26 rating should put them to rest.

The Madden franchise just released its ratings for all rookies in its 2026 edition. Hunter got an 84 mark, the highest among rookies. That's just three points short of the 87 grade Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Calvin Ridley got as a rookie.

Now, you could make the case that Madden ratings are inconsequential, and you may have a point. What matters is what you do on the football field. Heck, Hunter himself previously said that he didn't care for the ratings, pointing out that he was instead focused on being the best player he could be for the Jags. Having said that, players do pay close attention to them and getting a high mark is a badge of honor for them. Similarly, getting a low one will be deemed disrespectful.

In Hunter's case, it's well earned. After all, he's excelled in training camp, making plays at both cornerback and receiver. Below is the video where the West Palm Beach, Florida native and other prominent rookies learn what rating they got.

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Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter's Madden rating is well-deserved

Just recently, Travis Hunter had a sitdown with Pete Prisco of CBS Sports and said that he's chosen The Unicorn as his nickname. It certainly suits him because of just how unique his skillset is. Think about it, how many players in the modern NFL era have attempted to play two ways full-time?

Granted, Hunter has yet to play a snap in the regular season, but he's trending in the right direction, and barring anything unexpected, he should make an impact for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a rookie. In fact, the only thing preventing him from potentially playing two ways full-time as a rookie is that the team is stacked at both receiver and cornerback.

On the other hand, Hunter is too talented to spend time in the sidelines, so the Jags will find a way to get him onto the football field one way or another.

The bottom line is that the Jaguars have a unique talent in Travis Hunter, and the Madden video game franchise recognized it with a pretty high mark (at least for a rookie). Don't be surprised if the rating goes up if he does make an impact as a rookie, as expected.

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