Madden Rates Bears Rookie Tyler Scott Above Some Notable Names

Few things are more debated every year than the Madden ratings. That is when the creators of Electronic Art's (mediocre) video game franchise assess the individual traits of every single player in the league and assign them an overall score based on the findings. Unsurprisingly, the Chicago Bears projected far better than last season. D.J. Moore (86) and Darnell Mooney (81) both earned respectable numbers, while Chase Claypool drew a comfortable 76. Some may consider those too low, but they feel pretty fair for the most part. Where things got interesting was with Tyler Scott.

The Bears selected him in the 4th round this past April. Many experts at the time felt they got a steal. His mixture of speed, quickness, and run-after-the-catch ability was hard to ignore. The only explanation was that some teams were concerned about his thinner 175 lbs frame. Madden didn't seem perturbed by it. They gave the rookie a 71 overall rating. Being five points below Claypool is already noteworthy. Where it gets even better is the receiver he rated higher than.

• Jalen Tolbert
• Jalin Hyatt
• Cedric Tillman
• Khalil Shakir
• Tyquan Thornton
• Kavontae Turpin

Tolbert was a 3rd round pick last season. Hyatt and Tillman were drafted ahead of Scott this year. Shakir flashed in the playoffs as a rookie for Buffalo last season. Thornton was New England's 2nd round pick last year. Turpin was a Pro Bowl returner for Green Bay.

Tyler Scott has some fans over at EA.

So where does this favorable rating come from? Much of it comes from his solid speed and acceleration ratings of 92 and 93, respectively. He also had above-average jump (91) and change-of-direction (87) numbers as well. Last but not least was a decent 74 for deep route running, which is the same as Claypool. Madden ratings rarely project anything with accuracy. Still, it's nice to see the Bears rookie get some love after what he had to endure in the draft a few months ago.

The next step is following through on that optimism. Tyler Scott has a tough climb ahead of him on the depth chart. He's currently battling Velus Jones for the #4 spot on the depth chart. Jones is already established as a quality kick returner. That means Scott must outshine him on the offensive end. He has the capability as a route-runner. It comes down to taking advantage of the opportunities when they come. That is often the hardest part for every young player.