Defensive End Khalil Mack
How is it possible that after being named the AP Defensive Player of the Year – aka the best defensive player in the NFL – that a player's Madden rating could go down?
Well, such is the case for Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack, who after boasting a 98 overall rating at season's end in Madden '17, now owns a 97 rating in the 2018 version of the popular video game.
It's hard to feel slighted about a 97 rating – it still puts Mack in among the elite players on either side of the ball in the game – but it's a bit difficult to understand how after the type of outstanding campaign No. 52 put together last year that his rating didn't actually improve.
That being said, Mack is the highest-rated Raider in Madden '18 followed by offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele (92), center Rodney Hudson (90), quarterback Derek Carr (89), and tackle Donald Penn (89).
After coming out of retirement in April to put on the Silver and Black for his hometown Oakland Raiders, running back Marshawn Lynch has an overall rating of 85, but his 92 toughness, and 94 trucking show that the Madden minds still know what makes "Beast Mode" one of the most-unique running backs in the game.
Madden ratings certainly don't correlate to wins on Sunday, but even so, it's a lot of fun to know how your favorite players and teams grade out compared to the rest of the league.
You can check out the full ratings for the entire Raiders roster, here.
