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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Jeremiyah Love might not have been the first overall NFL Draft pick, but the Arizona Cardinals definitely selected a special player with the former Notre Dame running back.
On Tuesday, EA's Madden NFL 27 rookie ratings dropped, with the No. 4 pick tied for the best overall rating with the Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs. Both players begin the season with an 82 overall rating in the video game, set to release next month.
The New York Jets' David Bailey received an 81, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Ruben Bain Jr. is an 80, and Arvell Reese is a 79 to round out the top five rookies in the game.
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Love is expected to have a major impact on the Cardinals' offense, giving them a powerful running back while they are still trying to find themselves a quarterback for the future. According to ESPN, the team recently reached an agreement with Jacoby Brissett on a reworked contract that gives him $15.5 million guaranteed this season.
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However, it would be surprising if Brissett is their long-term solution for the play caller. Meanwhile, Love will take pressure off Brissett, bringing the skills he showcased as one of the driving forces for Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish last season.
Love had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for Notre Dame last season. Along with that, he showed his versatility with 27 receptions for 280 yards and another three touchdowns as a receiver option.
Many believe he'll be the starter at back for the Cardinals in the coming season with Tyler Allgeir and James Connor behind him on the depth chart. However, that remains to be seen, as training camp recently started and things could change.
His Madden NFL 27 rookie rating is a compilation of ratings for various attributes players get in the video game, including a 94 Speed, 92 Agility, 94 Change of Direction, 76 Strength, and 71 Awareness. These are based on how Madden's ratings evaluators see a player's skills and abilities on the field in games.
Madden player ratings can also improve or decline based on a player's real-life performances on the football field. Should he struggle over a series of games, Love could find himself much lower in the ratings. On the flip side, if he goes off in his games for some impressive stats, expect his number to rise in the video game.
Last year, two rookies had higher ratings than Love and Downs. The Jacksonville Jaguars' dual-threat Travis Hunter was an 84, while Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty was an 83.
And for those wondering how the No. 1 pick fared with his rookie rating, the Raiders' new quarterback landed a 74 rating, which is below plenty of rookies, including the Philadelphia Eagles' Makai Lemon and the Tennessee Titans' Carnell Tate.
EA also rated KC Concepcion Jr.'s skills relatively high ahead of his rookie season, with a 75 overall and four of his rating attributes in the low 90s.
Mendoza's 74 was a higher rating than last year's No. 1 pick received, as the Tennessee Titans' quarterback Cam Ward had a 72 for his rookie debut in the video game.
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For more about the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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