David Njoku Madden Career 2018-2026 - Peak 90 OVR
Miami's leaping tight end who caught fire and kept blocking
The Browns took David Njoku 29th overall in 2017 out of Miami, where his high-jumper's frame and 40-inch vertical made him look like a matchup problem waiting to happen. It took a while for the production to match the athleticism. He caught 32 passes for 386 yards and four scores as a rookie, and one of his loudest days came in Week 5 of 2021, when he went for 149 yards on seven grabs against the Chargers, including a 71-yard catch and run.
In September 2023 he suffered burns to his face and arms in a fire pit accident, returned quickly, and later worked with the American Burn Association. That same season he made his first Pro Bowl. Madden charted the slow build honestly: a 78 for the 2017 rookie edition, a jump to 84 by 2023, then a career-high 90 in the 2024 edition after his best stretch of play, holding at 89 for 2025. He spent nine years in Cleveland before signing with the Chargers in 2026.
David Njoku Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 90 OVR in Madden NFL 2025 (age 28)
- Appeared in 9 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2018 through Madden NFL 2026)
- Entered at 78 OVR in Madden NFL 2018, climbed 12 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 6 points into Madden NFL 2025
- Played for the Browns across every Madden release in his career
- Listed as a tight end in every Madden release
David Njoku 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 2017 NFL season
|
|
TE | 78 | 85 | 90 | 78 | - | 72 | 93 | 89 | 88 | 78 | 65 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 78 | - | 75 | 79 | 80 | 73 | 74 | 79 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 72 | 67 | - | - | 58 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2019 2018 NFL season
|
|
TE | 81 | 85 | 90 | 78 | - | 72 | 93 | 89 | 88 | 78 | 67 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 78 | - | 75 | 79 | 80 | 73 | 74 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 77 | - | 71 | 72 | 62 | - | - | 54 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2020 2019 NFL season
|
|
TE | 82 | 85 | 90 | 84 | - | 72 | 93 | 92 | 88 | 78 | 77 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 78 | - | 75 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 76 | 77 | 84 | 82 | 77 | - | 72 | 72 | 63 | - | - | 55 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2021 2020 NFL season
|
|
TE | 78 | 85 | 90 | 84 | 74 | 72 | 93 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 74 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 78 | - | 75 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 76 | 77 | 84 | 82 | 75 | - | 69 | 72 | 60 | - | - | 57 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2022 2021 NFL season
|
|
TE | 79 | 85 | 90 | 84 | 74 | 72 | 93 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 74 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 78 | - | 72 | 79 | 78 | 74 | 77 | 77 | 84 | 82 | 74 | 71 | 68 | 73 | 62 | - | - | 63 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2023 2022 NFL season
|
|
TE | 80 | 86 | 90 | 83 | 73 | 72 | 93 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 76 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 81 | - | 72 | 79 | 78 | 74 | 77 | 79 | 85 | 82 | 73 | - | 68 | 73 | 63 | - | - | 64 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2024 2023 NFL season
|
|
TE | 84 | 86 | 90 | 83 | 73 | 72 | 93 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 81 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 80 | - | 72 | 79 | 78 | 74 | 77 | 86 | 87 | 84 | 77 | - | 72 | 73 | 64 | - | - | 65 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | - | - | - | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2025 2024 NFL season
|
|
TE | 90 | 87 | 90 | 83 | 74 | 72 | 95 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 92 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | - | - | 77 | 79 | 72 | 87 | 80 | 74 | 79 | 90 | 87 | 85 | 79 | - | 73 | 81 | 63 | - | - | 65 | - | - | 65 | - | 36 | 15 | 37 | 42 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
|
2026 2025 NFL season
|
|
TE | 89 | 86 | 89 | 82 | 73 | 72 | 95 | 88 | 87 | 78 | 89 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 77 | 80 | 72 | 87 | 80 | 74 | 79 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 80 | 76 | 73 | 82 | 63 | 57 | 63 | 65 | 63 | 58 | 65 | 50 | 36 | 15 | 37 | 42 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 23 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 40 |
Era Tight Ends who played alongside David Njoku
David Njoku Madden Ratings by Year
David Njoku Madden NFL 2018 rating: 78 OVR (2017 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2019 rating: 81 OVR (2018 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2020 rating: 82 OVR (2019 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2021 rating: 78 OVR (2020 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2022 rating: 79 OVR (2021 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2023 rating: 80 OVR (2022 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2024 rating: 84 OVR (2023 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2025 rating: 90 OVR (2024 NFL season, CLE). David Njoku Madden NFL 2026 rating: 89 OVR (2025 NFL season, CLE).