Bengals' Shemar Stewart keeps it hilariously real when asked to predict his upcoming rookie Madden rating
It's no secret the people in charge of rating players for the Madden NFL video game franchise makes rookies earn their respect. No matter how early you heard your name called in the NFL Draft, your rating is going to be significantly lower than the best players in the game.Incoming rookies know the drill at this […]
It's no secret the people in charge of rating players for the Madden NFL video game franchise makes rookies earn their respect. No matter how early you heard your name called in the NFL Draft, your rating is going to be significantly lower than the best players in the game.
Incoming rookies know the drill at this point, so when House of Highlights put a handful of first-round picks on the spot after they found out their NFL landing spot, they were ready to showcase humility.
None more than Cincinnati Bengals' first-rounder Shemar Stewart.
Shemar Stewart's self-awareness shines so hilariously when predicting his own Madden rating
The knock everyone knows about Stewart is that he rarely sacked the opposing quarterback in three years at Texas A&M.
4.5 sacks to be exact. 1.5 this past year.
Stewart knows it's been used against before and after getting the call from Cincinnati during the first round of the draft. He also expects it to be a factor in his first Madden rating.
"1.5 sacks? 65 overall," Stewart exclaimed with a laugh. "I see it coming man, it's okay. You're forgiven in advance."
65 overall is a bit egregious, but that was part of the joke. Stewart knows rookies draw the short end of the stick, and he'll have a lot to prove on top of that based on his college production.
Draft positioning on its own may help Stewart exceed that prediction by a long shot. There were three edge defenders drafted between 15th and 19th overall in the 2024 draft. Laiatu Latu (15th overall) was initially rated 77, Dallas Turner (17th overall) was rated 78, and Jared Verse (19th overall) was rated 76.
It's tough to see Stewart fall significantly lower than that range, especially factoring in his speed and overall athleticism for his position. Raw athleticism traits usually go a long way in boosting a player's overall rating. It is a video game, after all.
We'll find out Stewart's real ratings later this summer prior to Madden NFL 26's launch on August 14.
Shemar Stewart had his way against NFL draftee of Bengals’ AFC North rival while practicing at 2025 Senior Bowl
The rivalry continues in the AFC North.
