The Dallas Cowboys own the best ratings-based rookie class in Madden NFL 27—not because of one 82 overall star alone, but because their best five rookies combine top-end talent with the strongest overall depth near the top of the board.
EA’s current Madden NFL 27 database contains 355 player entries. We filtered the 349 players listed at zero years of experience, grouped them by team, and scored all 32 rookie classes. The result is a league-wide snapshot of which draft hauls should matter most when the new Madden cycle opens.
The answer changes slightly depending on what a player values. Dallas owns the best balanced class and the best top-three average. The New York Jets own the best top-five average, while Green Bay has the highest average across its entire rookie class.
USG Method Top-end talent plus depth
How we scored every rookie class
The Madden Underground Class Score gives 70% of its weight to each team’s five highest-rated rookies and 30% to its full rookie-class average. That rewards immediate impact without allowing a single star—or a huge class filled with low-rated depth—to control the result.
- #1Dallas Cowboys8 rated rookies
Caleb Downs (82), Malachi Lawrence (78), Jaishawn Barham (73), Devin Moore (71), LT Overton (71)
Class score74.0Top 5 avg.75.0Full avg.71.6 - #2New York Jets11 rated rookies
David Bailey (81), D’Angelo Ponds (75), Omar Cooper Jr. (75), Kenyon Sadiq (74), Darrell Jackson Jr. (72)
Class score73.7Top 5 avg.75.4Full avg.69.8 - #3Cleveland Browns10 rated rookies
Spencer Fano (79), Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (75), KC Concepcion Jr. (75), Denzel Boston (74), Austin Barber (72)
Class score73.6Top 5 avg.75.0Full avg.70.2 - #4New York Giants8 rated rookies
Arvell Reese (79), Francis Mauigoa (78), Colton Hood (75), Malachi Fields (73), J.C. Davis (67)
Class score73.4Top 5 avg.74.4Full avg.71.0 - #5Tampa Bay Buccaneers9 rated rookies
Rueben Bain Jr. (80), Josiah Trotter (75), Keionte Scott (73), Ted Hurst III (72), Demonte Capehart (70)
Class score72.7Top 5 avg.74.0Full avg.69.7 - #6Miami Dolphins17 rated rookies
Kadyn Proctor (77), Chris Johnson (76), Jacob Rodriguez (76), Trey Moore (72), Caleb Douglas (71)
Class score72.6Top 5 avg.74.4Full avg.68.5 - #7Las Vegas Raiders15 rated rookies
Treydan Stukes (76), Keyron Crawford (75), Fernando Mendoza (74), Jermod McCoy (74), Trey Zuhn III (73)
Class score72.6Top 5 avg.74.4Full avg.68.5 - #8Arizona Cardinals7 rated rookies
Jeremiyah Love (82), Chase Bisontis (75), Kaleb Proctor (71), Reggie Virgil (70), Carson Beck (68)
Class score72.5Top 5 avg.73.2Full avg.71.0 - #9Kansas City Chiefs19 rated rookies
Mansoor Delane (79), R Mason Thomas (77), Peter Woods (76), Jadon Canady (73), Cyrus Allen (70)
Class score72.5Top 5 avg.75.0Full avg.66.7 - #10Buffalo Bills10 rated rookies
T.J. Parker (77), Davison Igbinosun (74), Tommy Doman Jr. (73), Kaleb Elarms-Orr (71), Skyler Bell (71)
Class score72.4Top 5 avg.73.2Full avg.70.4
No. 1 Class Dallas Cowboys
Caleb Downs gives Dallas the star; the next four finish the job
Downs’ 82 overall rating matches Arizona running back Jeremiyah Love for the highest mark among the featured rookies. Malachi Lawrence follows at 78, and Dallas keeps enough quality behind them to post a 75.0 top-five average and a 71.6 average across all eight rookies.
That blend produces a 74.0 Class Score, edging the Jets at 73.7 and Cleveland at 73.6. Dallas also owns the league’s best top-three rookie average at 77.7.
Three Lenses Different definitions of “best”
Dallas wins the balance test, but New York and Green Bay have claims
74.0 USG Class Score with an 82-rated headliner.
75.4 average across their five highest-rated rookies.
71.7 across six rookies, led by Trey Smack at 75 overall.
82 OVR Safety • Dallas Cowboys
Caleb Downs
93 acceleration • 91 jumping • 87 hit power
Downs is the highest-rated player in the No. 1 class and gives Dallas an immediate-impact defender with elite closing burst.
82 OVR Running back • Arizona Cardinals
Jeremiyah Love
94 speed • 94 acceleration • 94 carrying
Love owns one of the cleanest rookie skill profiles in the database and carries Arizona into the top 10 despite a seven-player class.
78 OVR MIKE linebacker • Washington Commanders
Sonny Styles
93 jumping • 90 speed • 84 tackle
Styles brings rare movement ability to the middle of Washington’s defense and should become a popular user-control option.
74 OVR Quarterback • Las Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza
91 throw power • 88 short accuracy • 84 speed
Mendoza is not Las Vegas’ highest-rated rookie, but his arm, short accuracy, and mobility make him the class’ most important long-term piece.
Competitive Read The ratings that will be felt
Love’s speed and Styles’ range may play above their overall ratings
Overall rating is only one part of the Madden equation. Jeremiyah Love’s 94 speed, acceleration, and carrying profile gives Arizona an immediate home-run threat. Washington’s Sonny Styles pairs 90 speed with 93 jumping at middle linebacker, while Las Vegas quarterback Fernando Mendoza brings 91 throw power, 88 short accuracy, and 84 speed at 74 overall.
Ratings and player data were analyzed from EA’s official Madden NFL 27 Ratings Hub on July 28, 2026. EA can update ratings and database entries, so class scores may change during the cycle.
Explore the official Madden NFL 27 Ratings Hub →Who really has the best rookie class?
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