Hey guys, I teamed up with Hurc and Hodgey from the MUT.GG Discord server to rank the top 10 Rookie Premiere picks. Here's our list:
Top 10 Rookie Premiere Players in Madden Ultimate Team 23
1. Kaiir Elam (CB) - Bills
Elam is easily the best corner available in the Rookie Premiere program and CB is a position that requires depth. He has speed (86), height (6’2”), great zone coverage (86), and respectable man coverage (81). He will be on your squad for a while.
2. Tyquan Thornton (WR) - Patriots
While we’ve seen a lot of people talking about Olave, we feel Thornton is the best option at WR. Thornton is taller and has slightly better ratings. Like Elam, if you choose Thornton, he will be on your roster for a while, even if he slides down the depth chart as you pick up better receivers.
3. Daxton Hill (FS) - Bengals
Hill is the best available option at an important position. He has top end speed to cover deep and respectable hit power (84). He also has unusually high man coverage for a safety (85), so he will thrive in a scheme that gives him man-to-man assignments.
4. Channing Tindall (MLB) - Dolphins
At 86 speed, Tindall is up there with the fastest DBs in the game even though he’s a linebacker. He is also 6’2” with 87 hit power. He’s a great option for the middle of your defense. While it’s unlikely we would have ranked Tindall this high in Madden 22, we expect linebackers in general to be more important this year given the nerf to safeties at linebacker EA made in Madden 23.
5. Kyler Gordon (CB) - Bears
While Gordon is clearly a step down from Elam, he’s the better pick for a man-to-man scheme on defense. At 85 speed, he’s only one point slower than Elam, but he has 85 man coverage. He also has 88 agility which is important in man defense.
6. George Karlaftis (LE) - Chiefs
With 86 power moves, he’s the best pass rusher available in Rookie Premiere. If you prefer a finesse pass rusher, consider taking Aidan Hutchinson instead. The only thing is that at 79 SPD, we don’t feel he’s fast enough to play his natural position of LOLB. We advise that you play him at DE instead.
7. Tyler Linderbaum (C) - Ravens
Center is an important position in both the run game and the pass game and Linderbaum looks to be a great option early on. Center is usually an expensive position, so locking in your center with a Rookie Premiere pick might save you significant coins in the long run.
8. Breece Hall (HB) - Jets
Hall is comparable with the best HBs available at launch. He has 85 speed, 84 trucking, and 86 change of direction. On ratings alone, he would be higher on our list and he will definitely make the early solo challenge grind a bit smoother. The only reason he’s at #8 is that HB is always a position with a ton of options so we expect him to get replaced earlier than the other players on this list.
9. Jordan Davis (DT) - Eagles
At 6’6” and 340 lbs., Davis is going to anchor your defensive line and be a force in the run game. He will be best in a 3-4 defensive scheme at the nose tackle position. The downside is that he lacks the pass rush moves to be a real threat to sack the QB.
10. Kayvon Thibodeaux (ROLB) - Giants
Thibodeaux has the right combination of power moves (84) and speed (82) to make the list. He’s fast enough to play at OLB and not be a liability, and he has a legitimate chance to get to the QB. There are faster options and better pass rushers, but none with this combination.
Didn't make the Cut
Trayvon Walker (LOLB) - Jaguars
He was the first pick in the draft, so it’s hard to believe he didn’t make our list. The reason we didn’t include him is that he’s just fast (85 speed). He doesn’t have enough power moves (74) or finesse moves (69) to be a threat to opposing QBs. We fully expect there to be fast OLBs that also lack pass rush ratings that you’ll be able to pick up at a good price.
Aidan Hutchinson (LOLB) - Lions
Hutchinson has the opposite problem of Walker. He has great finesse moves (85), but at 79 speed, he’s just too slow to play outside linebacker. As mentioned in our Karlaftis explanation, if you’re willing to run him out-of-position at DE, he could be a great pick for you.
Damarri Mathis (CB) - Broncos
Mathis is a great option, he’s just not the best. Elam is a better option in a zone scheme and Gordon is better in man-to-man. If you’re set on a zone scheme, especially built around Cover 3 or Cover 4 (where outside CBs are responsible for deep zones), it might not be a bad idea to take both Elam and Mathis if you have enough RP Tokens.
Desmond Ridder (QB) - Falcons
Ridder looks like a decent option, but so much of a QB is his release and abilities. Without that information, we couldn't include a QB on our list. Also, you only need one QB so we don’t expect Ridder to lead your team for very long even if you do pick him. There will be many options available at a variety of price points early in the year. All of this also applies to Kenny Pickett.
