I don’t know if anyone was expecting this. On Wednesday, Madden NFL 26 released its player ratings for all NFL rookies. Surprisingly, a Pittsburgh Steelers rookie earned an overall grade equal to that of the number one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
But I’m not talking about first-round pick Derrick Harmon or even third-round pick Kaleb Johnson; I’m talking about fourth-round rookie draft choice Jack Sawyer.
On Madden’s official player rating website, Sawyer opens the popular video game with a 72 overall rating—the exact same overall grade as the top pick in the draft. Sawyer’s grade also tops some notable draft picks like wide receiver Savion Williams, defensive tackle Omar Norman-Lott, tight end Harold Fannin Jr., and wide receiver Jalen Royals.
Sawyer’s overall rating fell just one point shy of first-round tight end Colston Loveland of the Chicago Bears, and two points shy of former Ohio State teammate and fellow edge rusher JT Tuimoloau.
Madden NFL 26 reinforces the Pittsburgh Steelers’ value pick with Jack Sawyer in the 2025 NFL Draft
Madden ratings don’t amount to a hill of beans when it comes to what’s happening in reality on the football field. It’s all about how these rookies can come out and perform from the gate and what kind of progress they can make. However, these Madden ratings seem to suggest what fans already assumed: that the Pittsburgh Steelers got a steal when they selected Jack Sawyer in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
It’s not just Sawyer’s Madden 26 rating that suggests this. The former Ohio State star was the 75th overall player on Marcus Mosher’s 2025 NFL Draft Expert Consensus Board, which averages the rankings of the top NFL Draft analysts in the business, like Mel Kiper Jr., Dane Brugler, and Daniel Jeremiah.
According to where most experts had him slotted, this was an impressive value pick for the Steelers, who ultimately landed the high-profile pass rusher with the 123rd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sawyer has his limitations. He’s a bit stiff-hipped as a pass rusher, and his short arms and average athletic traits may limit his ceiling at the next level. However, early signs at Steelers training camp suggest Sawyer is looking as advertised.
The ultimate test will be proving his worth on the football field. Sawyer should make the team and could spell T.J. Watt of snaps as the left edge rusher early in his rookie season. It’s what he does with these limited opportunities that could make or break him as a player.
For now, it’s safe to say that Jack Sawyer isn’t getting overlooked, and even Madden thinks he should begin his NFL career with the same overall rating as No. 1 pick Cam Ward.
