Cam Akers is Madden 21’s fourth-highest rated rookie running back
By Kelvin Hunt
Cam Akers was underrated before the 2020 NFL Combine earlier this year. His Madden 21 rookie rating is nothing to sneeze at.
FSU football fans knew Cam Akers was a great running back after watching him be a one-man gang behind an awful offensive line all three seasons.
He broke Dalvin Cook’s FSU freshman rushing record and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in two of his three seasons in Tallahassee.
Despite behind held back by multiple offensive coordinators, poor QB play, and the offensive line, many felt Akers would be the steal of the draft before his NFL Combine performance.
However, his performance opened eyes to what FSU football fans had watched the last three seasons. A running back that ran hard every down, powerful, great acceleration, and ridiculous agility.
The Madden 21 ratings for rookie running backs were released earlier Monday, and Akers was the fourth-highest rated running back among rookies. Ironically, Akers was the fourth running back taken in the 2020 NFL Draft with the No. 52 overall pick in the second round.
Interestingly enough, J.K. Dobbins was the fifth running back selected in the draft just three spots behind Akers. He was the highest-rated running back among rookies on the game. Jonathan Taylor was the third running back drafted, but he was the fifth-highest rated rookie on the game.
Did They Get The Rating Right For Akers?
Here are the ratings for Akers:
- Speed-90
- Acceleration-94 (No. 1)
- Strength-73
- Agility-93 (No.1)
- Awareness-65
- Catching-64
- Carrying-81
- Throwing-56
Overall, I think the ratings are close to what they should be, and it’s cool to see him as the top back in two categories. The only two areas I think they underrated him is awareness and catching.
They likely penalized in the awareness category because he was often dodging defenders behind the line of scrimmage at FSU. He did miss cut back lanes here and there too, where he was likely surprised they were actually there behind that line.
He had good hands when they used him in the receiving game, and it’s something FSU should have done more of. It’s likely they penalized him in that department as Akers only averaged about seven yards per reception with a career-high 30 receptions as a senior.
Next. Why Cam Akers is Perfect Fit For LA Rams Offense. dark
Akers the has potential to be one of the best rookie running backs in the league this season. It’s great to see Madden rate him as one of the best rookie running backs too.