So a few weeks ago, many of us here at Vendetta participated in our own 2020 NFL Mock Draft. It is a fantastic read and you should totally read it if you haven’t, then come back here! Why you may ask? Well, it is because I decided to put our picks into Madden 20 and see how our rookies did. I simply downloaded a custom roster with all updated signings and trades, created all 32 of our rookies, and assigned them to their teams. We will go pick by pick and see how each individual player did and let you be the judge on if it was a successful rookie campaign or not.
Here’s how I did it. First, I downloaded an updated roster. Because older players like Tom Brady sometimes retire after my first season in Madden 20, I decided to forego the easy route and wait until draft day and made all 32 players, customized them and their attributes, and set them onto their new team. I did as much research as I could, read all of the draft analysis and tried to be as open minded and fair as possible. I took control of all 32 teams (just to make sure there was no funny business) and let the simulation rip.
1: Cincinnati Bengals (Alex Chick III) – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Stats: 3,769 yards, 24 TD, 10 INT, 68%
Not a terrible rookie season, but not the greatest. The Bengals finished the year with a 6-10 record behind Burrow, so I guess there is something positive. The other QBs taken in the first round do better though, so this feels like a major let down for the no. 1 overall pick.
2: Washington Redskins (Jackson Law) – Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
Stats: 65 total tackles, 13 TFL, 12.5 Sacks
A great first year for Young. I wish I could say the same for the Redskins, who finished with a 2-14 record. Ouch. If this is any indication on how Young’s rookie season is going to turn out, then watching the Redskins will (somewhat?) be fun to watch this year.
3: Detroit Lions (Caleb Shaffer) – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Stats: 87 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 0 INT
The no interceptions is disappointing. For all the hype surrounding Okudah coming into the league, no picks while being the no. 2 corner is not a good look. Better luck next year.
4: New York Giants (Trey Daubert) – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Stats: 4,523 yards, 37 TD, 11 INT, 68%
I think Trey surprised everyone in the mock draft when he took Tua at 4 for the Giants, but it seems to have paid off big time! Those are legendary rookie numbers. That stat line and an 9-7 record (good enough to just squeeze into the playoffs) are why Tua was crowed NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.
5: Miami Dolphins (Jordan Dangle) – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Stats: 16 Games Played, 15 Sacks Allowed
Yikes. If I was the Dolphins QB (Jordan Love in this world) I would be pissed. I know he’s a rookie, but giving up a sack a game just won’t cut it. Despite Wills’ poor performance, Love had a decent season and the Dolphins finished second in the AFC East.
6: Los Angeles Chargers (Chad Bauman) – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Stats: 134 Total Tackles, 6 TFL, 3.5 Sacks, 1 INT
What a monster of a season. The defensive unit for the Chargers was already loaded, but Chad gave them another beast. Not only was Simmons named AFC Defensive Player of the Year, he was one of THREE rookies to be selected to the Pro Bowl. Insane.
7: Carolina Panthers (Trey Daubert) – Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Stats: 56 Total Tackles, 10 TFL, 7 Sacks
For a rookie, you cannot be mad at these numbers. Brown was slatted as the no. 2 DT on the roster and was double teamed for most of the parts of the game I played. He was a solid addition and will only continue to move up.
8: Arizona Cardinals (Alex Chick III) – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Stats: 15 Games Played, 2 Sacks Allowed
Injuries to the O-Line meant Wirfs had to slid in and play center. Wirfs did a pretty good job, and his two sacks allowed are the fewest among rookie offensive lineman (it gets much worse). In all, a good pick who was able to do something different and fill a much needed spot in the line.
9: San Francisco 49ers via Trade with Jacksonville (Adam Ramirez) – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Stats: 42 Receptions, 610 Yards, 4 TD
A solid rookie campaign by Jeudy. Jimmy Garoppolo did not have the greatest of seasons, which is why Jeudy had the second most receiving yards at 610. While Jeudy had a good 2020, the 49ers suffered from the Super Bowl hangover and missed the playoffs.
10: Denver Broncos via Trade with Cleveland (Alex Chick III) – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Stats: 66 Receptions, 841 Yards, 5 TD
Alex inadvertently created a huge problem for his Raiders to deal with. Lamb had an outstanding first year, establishing himself as the no. 2 (possibly future no.1) receiver on an up and coming team. Believe it or not, though, these aren’t the best receiving numbers in this rookie class.
11: New York Jets (Trey Daubert) – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Stats: 16 Games Played, 11 Sacks Allowed
Not a good year for the OL rookie class. Almost all of them gave up double digit sacks. That’s not to say Thomas could not improve, but that’s a lot of times where your man is putting your QB on the ground. Jets just one 5 games and collectively let Sam Darnold get sacked 35 times.
12: Las Vegas Raiders (Alex Chick III) – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
Stats: 90 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 4 INT
Alex may have given division rival Broncos a great weapon in Lamb, but he also gave the Raiders someone to shut him down. I played parts of 2 games with the Raiders because Henderson and Jefferson (more on him later) were so much fun. An exellent rookie campaign to build upon.
13: Jacksonville Jaguars via Trade with 49ers (Adam Ramirez) – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Stats: 16 Games Played, 10 Sacks Allowed
Not as bad as Thomas, but could be better. The Jags were once again a middle-bottom of the pack team that was neither impressive or a disaster. In the one game I played with the Jags, Becton did a good job against Chubb, so there’s a positive.
14: Dallas Cowboys via Trade with Bucs (Jordan Dangle) – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Stats: 62 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT
Diggs got torched in the above frame, as well as the rest of the first half of the game I played with the Cowboys. The stats aren’t terrible, but just was not super effective. Not the best, but not the worst rookie year.
15: Cleveland Browns via Trade with Broncos (Chad Bauman) – Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Stats: 52 Receptions, 600 Yards, 6 TD
Ruggs solidified himself as the no. 3 receiving option on the Browns after Laundry and Beckham Jr. With all the attention on those two, Ruggs found soft spots in the D, giving Mayfield, whom Madden is most generous with, an easy target.
16: Atlanta Falcons (Caleb Shaffer) – Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Stats: 60 Total Tackles, 19 TFL, 7.5 Sacks
Kinlaw had a really good start to his career. So good in fact that the Madden simulation gods granted Kinlaw a Pro Bowl selection. IRL I expect Brown to be the better player, but Madden is just so accurate and close to real life that it can’t possibly be wrong right?
17: Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Trade with Cowboys (Jackson Law) – Josh Jones, OT, Houston
Stats: 15 Games Played, 10 Sacks Allowed
Not as bad as his OL counterparts in the draft, but its still double digit sacks. Tom Brady is so old that one sack could not only mean the end of his career, but the end of his life. I drafted Jones here because it was a need for the team and he was best available (or so I thought).
18: Miami Dolphins (Jordan Dangle) – Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Stats: 4,446 Yards, 36 TD, 15 INT
Wow. Love isn’t considered a top quarterback in this class, but he kinda played like one. Dolphins finished 9-7 and just barely missed the playoffs. Love played much better than Burrow, giving Love AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.
19: Las Vegas Raiders (Alex Chick III) – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Stats: 66 Receptions, 1,025 Yards, 9 TD
Stud. That’s it, that’s my take.
20: Jacksonville Jaguars (Adam Ramirez) – K’Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU
Stats: 60 Total Tackles, 10 TFL, 5 Sacks, 1 INT
Chaisson had a solid rookie campaign. The one pick surprised me so I had to throw it on his stat line. Would really like to know how that happened. Wish I could have positives to say for the Jags offense, but Adam picked a nice defensive building block for the future.
21: Philadelphia Eagles (Chad Bauman) – Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
Stats: 121 Total Tackles, 10 TFL, 5 Sacks, 4 INT
Another STUD linebacker who was given the third and final Pro Bowl selection of our rookies, as well as NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. I’m sure these results will make Chad a happy boy. Easily a steal at 21, geez.
22: Minnesota Vikings (Jackson Law) – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Stats: 76 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INT
Despite being the second to last corner taken, Fulton played one of the better seasons. Vikings needed someone who could step in and contribute to a rebuilding secondary, and Fulton did that pretty well.
23: New England Patriots (Chad Bauman) – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Stats: 61 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 4 INT
I do not know how, but the Patriots once again hit a home run on a pick later in the draft. The Pats usually do this sort of thing, so I’m sure whoever they pick they will get equally good talent than they did here.
24: New Orleans Saints (Chad Bauman) – Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Stats: 30 Total Tackles, 1 TFL, 0 INT
Queen missed close to half the season with a broken leg. I wasn’t there to see it, but reports say that he broke it on a chop-block. Players saw him holding his leg screaming MOMAAAAA OOOOHHHH (sorry had to do it).
25: Minnesota Vikings (Jackson Law) – Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Stats: 41 Receptions, 635 Yards, 3 TD
The numbers aren’t eye popping, but it’s a good start. It’s hard to immediately come in and replace someone like Diggs, but Aiyuk was already the third option behind Thielen and Rudolph. This was my final pick of our NFL Mock Draft. How’d I do?
26: Miami Dolphins (Jordan Dangle) – Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan
Stats: 16 Games Played, 0 Sacks
You read that right. ZERO SACKS ALLOWED. Incredible from a rookie. Ruiz is a Hall of Fame OL in the making.
27: Seattle Seahawks (Trey Daubert) – Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Stats: 94 Total Tackles, 10 TFL, 5 INT
The Legion of Boom is back baby! An incredible year and a snub for the Pro Bowl if you ask me. Regardless, Delpit was an excellent pick on way of the Seahawks wining the Super Bowl.
28: Baltimore Ravens (Trey Daubert) – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Stats: 141 Rushes, 503 Yards, 11 TD
Hard to get a lot of rushes behind Ingram. But 11 rushing touchdowns? Wow. Plus, that’s a pretty well executed triple-option if I’ve ever seen one.
29: Tennessee Titans (Caleb Shaffer) – Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
Stats: 49 Total Tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 Sacks
Not too shabby of stats for a DT taken this late in the first round. Solid production, though in the game above against the Broncos Gallimore really struggled. He seems to have done well though.
30: Miami Dolphins via Trade with Packers (Jordan Dangle) – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
Stats: 64 Receptions, 551 Yards, 4 TD
Somehow some way, Jordan found another contributor for the Dolphins in the late part of the round. These aren’t numbers to freak out over, but it shows production from a group of rookies that put together a really good season. Maybe luck will be on the Dolphin’s side this year?
31: San Francisco 49ers (Adam Ramirez) – Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
Stats: 37 Total Tackles, 5 TFL, 6 Sacks
Blacklock may not have gotten a lot of playing time or gotten to the ball carrier much, but he made the most of what he was given. That, in my opinion, is a solid rookie campaign.
32: Kansas City Chiefs (Jordan Dangle) – AJ Terrell, CB, Clemson
Stats: 40 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT
Just watch the video and I’ll let you decide how Terrell’s rookie season went (He’s no. 24).
