Danielle Hunter Madden Career 2016-2026 - Peak 91 OVR
Youngest to 50 sacks, from roller-skate tag to the 100 club
A coach discovered Danielle Hunter playing tag on roller skates in Katy, Texas, years after he had moved there from Jamaica at age 8. That improbable spotting started a chain that led to LSU, where, oddly, he managed only 4.5 sacks yet flashed rare length and burst. Minnesota bet on the traits, taking him 88th overall in 2015.
As a rookie he was the youngest player in the NFL and still notched six sacks. The explosion followed. In Week 14 of 2019, against Detroit, Hunter became the youngest player in league history to reach 50 sacks. A neck injury cost him all of 2020 and a torn pectoral wiped out most of 2021, yet he returned to form and made four Pro Bowls in Minnesota. He signed with Houston in 2024 and joined the exclusive 100-sack club.
His rating rode the same climb. Hunter opened as a 65 rookie in the 2015 edition, jumped to 86 by Madden 2017 once he became a full-time terror, hovered in the high 80s through the injuries, and reached a career-high 91 in the Madden 2025 game after his fresh start with the Texans.
Danielle Hunter Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 91 OVR in Madden NFL 2026 (age 30)
- Appeared in 11 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2016 through Madden NFL 2026)
- Entered at 65 OVR in Madden NFL 2016, climbed 26 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 14 points into Madden NFL 2018
- Played for 2 franchises: Vikings, Texans
- Listed as a defensive lineman in every Madden release
Danielle Hunter Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | COD | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | PAC | TOR | TUP | BSK | CAR | BTK | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | RBP | RBF | PBK | PBP | PBF | IBL | LBK | TAK | POW | PUR | BSH | PMV | FMV | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2016 2015 NFL season
|
|
DE | 65 | 87 | 90 | 84 | - | 77 | 86 | 76 | 90 | 81 | 47 | 44 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 45 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 42 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | 73 | 72 | 89 | - | - | - | 25 | 50 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2017 2016 NFL season
|
|
DE | 72 | 87 | 90 | 84 | - | 77 | 86 | 76 | 90 | 81 | 56 | 56 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 45 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 42 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | 73 | 72 | 86 | - | - | - | 27 | 48 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2018 2017 NFL season
|
|
LDE | 86 | 87 | 90 | 85 | - | 79 | 86 | 76 | 90 | 81 | 78 | 78 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 45 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 76 | 74 | 85 | - | - | - | 33 | 50 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2019 2018 NFL season
|
|
LDE | 84 | 87 | 90 | 85 | - | 79 | 86 | 76 | 90 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 45 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 77 | 74 | 86 | - | - | - | 33 | 50 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2020 2019 NFL season
|
|
LDE | 86 | 88 | 90 | 85 | - | 81 | 88 | 86 | 90 | 81 | 91 | 87 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 83 | 74 | 87 | - | - | - | 25 | 42 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2021 2020 NFL season
Did not play
|
|
DL | 89 | 88 | 90 | 85 | 71 | 81 | 88 | 85 | 90 | 81 | 94 | 89 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 83 | 74 | 90 | - | - | - | 25 | 42 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2022 2021 NFL season
|
|
LDE | 89 | 87 | 90 | 85 | 71 | 82 | 88 | 85 | 90 | 81 | 94 | 89 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 83 | 74 | 90 | - | - | - | 25 | 42 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2023 2022 NFL season
|
|
LOLB | 88 | 87 | 90 | 85 | 71 | 82 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 81 | 91 | 86 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 83 | 74 | 91 | - | - | - | 25 | 42 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2024 2023 NFL season
|
|
OLB | 87 | 87 | 90 | 84 | 71 | 82 | 88 | 86 | 86 | 81 | 93 | 88 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | - | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 83 | 74 | 90 | - | - | - | 38 | 50 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2025 2024 NFL season
|
|
RDE | 88 | 88 | 89 | 83 | 71 | 82 | 88 | 86 | 86 | 81 | 90 | 85 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | - | 46 | 24 | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | - | 2 | 12 | 45 | - | - | 45 | - | - | 84 | - | 87 | 74 | 89 | 80 | 83 | 90 | 38 | 50 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
|
2026 2025 NFL season
|
|
DE | 91 | 88 | 88 | 83 | 71 | 82 | 88 | 86 | 86 | 81 | 95 | 90 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 46 | 24 | 44 | 35 | 28 | 55 | 40 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 87 | 14 | 87 | 77 | 90 | 83 | 84 | 93 | 38 | 50 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
Era Defensive Linemen who played alongside Danielle Hunter
Danielle Hunter Madden Ratings by Year
Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2016 rating: 65 OVR (2015 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2017 rating: 72 OVR (2016 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2018 rating: 86 OVR (2017 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2019 rating: 84 OVR (2018 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2020 rating: 86 OVR (2019 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2021 rating: 89 OVR (2020 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2022 rating: 89 OVR (2021 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2023 rating: 88 OVR (2022 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2024 rating: 87 OVR (2023 NFL season, MIN). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2025 rating: 88 OVR (2024 NFL season, HOU). Danielle Hunter Madden NFL 2026 rating: 91 OVR (2025 NFL season, HOU).