Cam Ward Not Listed in Madden 26 Top 10 Rookies List originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Madden 26 Top 10 Rookies Ratings Released
With the NFL season right around the corner, fans across the country were eager to see EA Sports’ latest update for Madden NFL 26. On Tuesday, the official Madden NFL 26 account on X (formerly Twitter) revealed the top 10 rookie player ratings.
Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars leads the list, while Ashton Jeanty, expected to make a major impact with the Las Vegas Raiders, also landed among the highest-rated newcomers.
But one name was noticeably missing: Cam Ward.
The former Miami Hurricanes quarterback and No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft didn’t make the top 10 rookie list, raising eyebrows.
The rookies are ready to make some noise!
Your official Top 10 list 👀#Madden26Ratingspic.twitter.com/A8ZlUYRELI
— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 30, 2025
Cam Ward Fans Quickly Came to the Comment Section
Fans quickly flooded the comment section to voice their frustration.
“72 for Cam Ward is terrible. They need to fix their QB rating system asap,” one fan stated right away.
“This list is cool an all but where is CAM WARD!?,” questioned another here.
This commenter brought up a point: “Cam Ward shouldn’t be a 71 (actually 72) if we’re giving guys like Caleb Williams a 74 rating.”
More disrespect from this fan: “Ngl the Cam ward disrespect is crazy.”
“Yall left out the no1 pick in the draft. The disrespect is real,” commented a fan here.
This fan chimed in: “How somebody picked 30th nearly 10 overalls higher than the #1 overall pick? Lol.”
Who Made the List?
The entire top 10 list is as follows:
- Travis Hunter, 84
- Ashton Jeanty, 83
- Abdul Carter, 81
- Mason Graham, 80
- Will Campbell, 79
- Jalon Walker, 79
- Kenneth Grant, 78
- Jahdae Barron, 78
- Mykel Williams, 78
- Maxwell Hairston, 78
What Does Cam Ward Bring to Madden 26?
Ward enters Madden 26 with a strong college resume. The 23-year-old was the 2024 Davey O’Brien Award winner and ACC Player of the Year. He led the Miami Hurricanes to a 10-win season, throwing for 4,314 yards and 39 touchdowns while adding four more scores on the ground. He was intercepted seven times in 13 games.
Who Is on the Cover of Madden 26?
Saquon Barkley, the star running back for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, is this year’s cover athlete. He follows Christian McCaffrey, who was featured on the 2025 edition. Here’s a look at the last 10 Madden covers before Barkley:
- 2016: Odell Beckham Jr.
- 2017: Rob Gronkowski
- 2018: Tom Brady
- 2019: Antonio Brown
- 2020: Patrick Mahomes
- 2021: Lamar Jackson
- 2022: Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady
- 2023: John Madden
- 2024: Josh Allen
- 2025: Christian McCaffrey
When Can Fans Play Cam Ward on Madden 26?
According to EA Sports, Madden NFL 26 is set to release on Aug. 14 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Windows. Players who preorder the Deluxe or MVP Edition will get early access starting Aug. 11.
When is Cam Ward’s First NFL Game?
Ward is set to make his NFL preseason debut with the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 9 at Tampa Bay. His first home preseason game will be Aug. 22 against the Minnesota Vikings. His regular-season debut is scheduled for Sept. 7 on the road against the Denver Broncos.
Related: Cam Ward Faces Early Setback After WR Injury in Training Camp
Related: Aaron Rodgers’ First Play at Steelers Camp Ends in Embarrassment
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.