Madden NFL 26 cover star Saquon Barkley's ratings throughout his career

EA Sports has revealed that Saquon Barkley is the cover star of Madden NFL 26, the upcoming iteration of the shot sim, and announced him arsenic this edition's archetypal subordinate of the prestigious 99 Club -- the illustrious ellipse of athletes starting the play with a 99 OVR.

Not that Barkley ever had overmuch to kick astir erstwhile it comes to his attraction successful the game. He debuted successful Madden NFL 19 arsenic a rookie for the New York Giants with an already respectable 82 OVR, making him the highest-rated rookie moving backmost astatine the time.

Next year's crippled saw Barkley marque an awesome jump: His debut performance, which netted him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, among different accolades, added 9 points to his archetypal standing for the pursuing season, giving him a 91 OVR successful Madden NFL 20 -- a stellar emergence that's not often seen.

He'd recovered his groove: Madden NFL 21 kept him astatine 91 OVR and Madden NFL 22 started him disconnected 1 constituent lower, astatine 90 OVR. This was the commencement of a impermanent downward trend, which saw Barkley reduced to an 86 OVR successful Madden NFL 23 -- his lowest constituent since his debut.

However, this was besides different turning constituent for Barkley -- and his caller absorption was upwards. A fantastic play saw him ascent to caller standing heights, earning him a 93 OVR successful Madden NFL 24, which was to beryllium his last quality for the Giants successful the game.

His debut with the Philadelphia Eagles successful the existent iteration of the franchise kicked disconnected with a 92 OVR, a fig that roseate to 98 OVR passim the season's standing updates to bespeak his record-breaking show and important contributions to the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory.

Starting retired arsenic a promising rookie, Barkley experienced galore highs and immoderate lows earlier reaching the apex of his vocation -- and the ratings bash a bully occupation astatine telling the story:

• Madden NFL 19: 82 OVR

• Madden NFL 20: 91 OVR

• Madden NFL 21: 91 OVR

• Madden NFL 22: 90 OVR

• Madden NFL 23: 86 OVR

• Madden NFL 24: 93 OVR

• Madden NFL 25: 92 OVR

• Madden NFL 26: 99 OVR