Sonny Styles vs. Isaiah Simmons: Did EA Get the Madden 27 Rookie Ratings Right?

Sonny Styles enters Madden NFL 27 with one of the most intriguing rookie linebacker builds in the game.

The Washington Commanders’ first-round selection received a 78 overall rating, matching the rookie rating Isaiah Simmons carried into Madden NFL 21. Both defenders entered the league as oversized former safeties with elite athletic testing, top-10 draft status and the potential to become dominant user-controlled linebackers.

But do Styles’ Madden ratings accurately reflect his historic NFL Combine performance and his production at Ohio State?

For the most part, EA got it right—but a few ratings may actually undersell him.

Sonny Styles’ Madden NFL 27 Ratings

EA lists Styles as a 6-foot-5 MIKE linebacker with the following launch ratings:

EA’s official database confirms Styles’ 78 overall, 90 speed, 74 strength, 81 agility, 77 change of direction and 78 awareness. His defensive ratings include 84 tackling, 89 pursuit, 82 hit power, 72 zone coverage and 67 man coverage.

Styles’ Real-Life Combine Numbers

Styles did not simply have a good workout at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. He produced one of the most explosive performances ever recorded by a player his size.

Styles ran an official 4.46-second 40, posted a 43.5-inch vertical and recorded an 11-foot-2 broad jump at 244 pounds. His vertical was the highest recorded since at least 2003 by a player standing 6-foot-4 or taller or weighing at least 240 pounds. NFL Research also identified him as the only player since 2003 to combine a sub-4.50 forty, a vertical above 40 inches and a broad jump beyond 11 feet while weighing at least 230 pounds.

Simmons was faster, running a remarkable 4.39-second forty at 238 pounds. He also recorded a 39-inch vertical and an 11-foot broad jump during the 2020 Combine.

Did EA Get Styles’ 90 Speed Right?

Yes.

Styles’ 4.46 forty was elite for a 244-pound linebacker, but Simmons’ 4.39 was historically fast. Madden gave Simmons 93 speed as a rookie and Styles 90 speed.

That three-point difference makes sense.

Styles should still be one of the fastest linebackers in Madden 27, especially when his 90 speed is paired with 92 acceleration. He may not have Simmons’ top-end speed, but he should reach gaps, quarterbacks and underneath routes quickly.

EA resisted the temptation to give Styles a rating based purely on hype. A 90 properly recognizes that he is elite for his position without rating him like one of the fastest defensive backs in the league.

Verdict: Accurate.

Is 93 Jumping High Enough?

This is where EA may have been too conservative.

A 93 jumping rating is excellent, but Styles’ 43.5-inch vertical at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds was not merely excellent—it was historic.

His vertical was 4.5 inches better than Simmons’ while Styles was also taller and heavier. Combined with an 11-foot-2 broad jump, the testing showed rare lower-body explosion.

A jumping rating somewhere between 95 and 97 would have been defensible. At 93, Styles will still be dangerous in passing lanes, but the number does not fully communicate how unusual his performance was.

His height also matters. A 6-foot-5 defender with 93 jumping could have a much larger interception radius than a shorter player with the same rating.

Verdict: Slightly underrated.

Does the 84 Tackle Rating Match His Production?

Styles’ 84 tackle rating is one of EA’s strongest decisions.

He finished his Ohio State career with 244 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and nine pass breakups. After moving from safety to linebacker, he recorded 100 tackles during the 2024 national championship season and followed that with a team-leading 82 tackles in 2025.

Styles was not simply an athletic prospect who rose because of his combine. He had significant production after changing positions and developed into a dependable second-level defender.

The 84 rating also gives him a clear advantage over rookie Simmons, who entered Madden 21 with 78 tackling. Simmons produced more disruptive plays in college, but Styles’ Madden build reflects a more traditional, physical linebacker role.

An 84 is high enough to make Styles reliable without treating an unproven rookie like an established NFL tackling leader.

Verdict: Accurate.

College Production: Styles vs. Simmons

The combine comparison favors Styles in size and explosion, but Simmons had the more dominant final college season.

Simmons won the Butkus Award and ACC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 107 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 10 pass breakups and three interceptions in 2019. He finished his Clemson career with 253 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 22 pass breakups and four interceptions.

Styles’ career production was strong, but Simmons entered the NFL with more evidence that he could blitz, cover and create turnovers at a high level.

That helps explain why Simmons received better rookie change-of-direction and slightly better coverage ratings despite Styles having the more explosive vertical and broad jump.

Is Styles’ 77 Change of Direction Too Low?

This is probably the most questionable rating on his Madden profile.

Styles started his college career at safety before transitioning to linebacker. NFL.com’s scouting evaluation credited him with short-area quickness, pursuit speed and the ability to contribute from multiple alignments. The evaluation also described him as a positive man-coverage talent.

Yet Madden gave him only 77 change of direction, compared with Simmons’ rookie rating of 85.

Simmons deserved the advantage. His 4.39 speed and experience playing throughout Clemson’s defense made him one of the most fluid linebacker prospects Madden had seen.

An eight-point gap, however, feels excessive.

Styles’ 81 agility is reasonable, but his change-of-direction rating could probably be raised into the 80-to-82 range. His movement skills will determine whether he becomes a truly elite Madden user or simply a fast linebacker who is better when moving downhill.

Verdict: Underrated.

Are the Coverage Ratings Fair?

Styles received 72 zone coverage and 67 man coverage. Simmons entered Madden 21 with 72 zone and 68 man.

Those ratings make the two players appear almost identical in coverage, even though Simmons had substantially more ball production during his final college season.

Simmons recorded 10 pass breakups and three interceptions in 2019. Styles recorded three pass breakups and one interception in 2025. Based on production alone, Simmons deserved the stronger initial coverage profile.

However, Styles’ safety background and NFL scouting evaluation suggest that 67 man coverage may be slightly low. He should not receive elite coverage ratings before playing an NFL snap, but something closer to 69 or 70 man coverage would better recognize his experience and projected versatility.

The 72 zone rating is fair. The 67 man rating is conservative.

Verdict: Zone is accurate; man coverage is slightly underrated.

Was 78 Overall the Correct Rating?

Yes.

Styles was selected seventh overall by Washington after developing from a young safety into a first-team All-American linebacker. A 78 overall places him among the league’s better rookies without immediately putting him alongside proven NFL stars.

The identical overall rating does not mean Styles and Simmons were identical prospects.

Simmons’ Madden 21 profile emphasized:

Speed, range, coverage movement and positionless versatility.

Styles’ Madden 27 profile emphasizes:

Size, acceleration, tackling, pursuit, jumping and physicality.

Simmons was the smoother open-field user. Styles should be the stronger downhill defender with a larger frame and greater leaping ability.

Final Verdict: EA Mostly Got It Right

EA correctly captured the foundation of Sonny Styles’ game.

His 90 speed, 92 acceleration, 84 tackling, 89 pursuit and 82 hit power produce the profile of a physical, athletic linebacker who can immediately become valuable in Madden 27. His 78 overall is also a fair starting point for a highly drafted rookie who has not yet played an NFL snap.

The biggest issues are his 77 change of direction, 67 man coverage and possibly his 93 jumping. His safety background, smooth movement and historic combine explosion support small increases in all three categories.

Madden Underground’s adjusted ratings

EA did not drastically underrate Sonny Styles. It gave him a strong and usable rookie build.

But when the real combine numbers, college production and scouting report are placed beside his Madden ratings, Styles appears to be one or two attribute upgrades away from becoming the closest thing Madden 27 has to the next Isaiah Simmons—and potentially an even more physical version.

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