Deshaun Watson Madden Career 2018-2026 - Peak 90 OVR
Clemson champion, 12th pick in 2017, Texans then Browns
Deshaun Watson was born on September 14, 1995 in Gainesville, Georgia, and played college football at Clemson, where he threw the winning touchdown to Hunter Renfrow with one second left in the January 2017 national championship game against Alabama. Houston drafted him 12th overall that April. A torn ACL in practice ended his rookie season after six starts, and Madden NFL 18 listed him at 76 for 2017.
He passed for 4,165 yards in 2018 and made the first of three straight Pro Bowls. In 2020 he led the NFL with 4,823 yards and threw 33 touchdowns against seven interceptions; Madden NFL 21 carried him at 86 for that season. Madden NFL 22 listed his highest figure, 90, for 2021, a year in which he did not play a game.
Massage therapists began filing civil lawsuits against him in March 2021. A Texas grand jury declined to indict him in March 2022, and all but one suit had been settled by that August. Cleveland traded three first-round picks for him in March 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract; the NFL then suspended him 11 games and fined him $5 million. Madden NFL 24 dropped him to 78 for 2023. He tore his right Achilles on October 20, 2024 and re-ruptured it in January 2025. Through the 2025 season he had thrown for 17,904 yards and 123 touchdowns.
Deshaun Watson Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 90 OVR in Madden NFL 2022 (age 26)
- Appeared in 9 Madden releases (Madden NFL 2018 through Madden NFL 2026)
- Entered at 76 OVR in Madden NFL 2018, climbed 14 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 6 points into Madden NFL 2019
- Played for 2 franchises: Texans, Browns
- Listed as a quarterback in every Madden release
Deshaun Watson 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
|
|
QB | 76 | 84 | 88 | 87 | - | 61 | 81 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 73 | 19 | 88 | 84 | 79 | 77 | 82 | 84 | - | - | 65 | - | 49 | 88 | 54 | 75 | 86 | 38 | 32 | 34 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 32 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 25 | 10 |
|
2019 2018 NFL season
|
|
QB | 82 | 84 | 88 | 87 | - | 61 | 81 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 84 | 19 | 91 | 86 | 81 | 82 | 84 | 86 | - | - | 65 | - | 49 | 88 | 54 | 75 | 86 | 38 | 32 | 34 | 27 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 25 | 10 |
|
2020 2019 NFL season
|
|
QB | 82 | 84 | 88 | 88 | - | 61 | 81 | 97 | 89 | 87 | 77 | 19 | 89 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 85 | 88 | - | - | 66 | - | 49 | 92 | 58 | 77 | 82 | 38 | 32 | 34 | 25 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 25 | 10 |
|
2021 2020 NFL season
|
|
QB | 86 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 65 | 81 | 94 | 89 | 97 | 83 | 19 | 91 | 87 | 84 | 86 | 85 | 90 | - | - | 64 | - | 69 | 92 | 58 | 79 | 84 | 51 | 49 | 34 | 25 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
|
2022 2021 NFL season
Did not play
|
|
QB | 90 | 85 | 89 | 90 | 89 | 69 | 81 | 94 | 89 | 97 | 92 | 19 | 93 | 90 | 89 | 87 | 86 | 90 | - | - | 65 | - | 71 | 90 | 58 | 79 | 84 | 51 | 49 | 34 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
|
2023 2022 NFL season
|
|
QB | 84 | 85 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 69 | 81 | 93 | 89 | 96 | 71 | 19 | 93 | 89 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 92 | - | - | 65 | - | 70 | 89 | 58 | 79 | 83 | 51 | 52 | 34 | 25 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
|
2024 2023 NFL season
|
|
QB | 78 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 69 | 81 | 95 | 89 | 96 | 71 | 19 | 92 | 83 | 80 | 83 | 85 | 87 | - | - | 65 | - | 69 | 86 | 58 | 76 | 82 | 51 | 52 | 34 | 25 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | - | - | - | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
|
2025 2024 NFL season
|
|
QB | 75 | 85 | 88 | 89 | 85 | 69 | 81 | 95 | 89 | 93 | 63 | 19 | 92 | 83 | 79 | 82 | 84 | 85 | - | - | 65 | 78 | 65 | 85 | 58 | 76 | 82 | 51 | 52 | 34 | 25 | - | 15 | 25 | 27 | - | - | 23 | - | - | 42 | - | 34 | 22 | 34 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
|
2026 2025 NFL season
Did not play
|
|
QB | 70 | 84 | 87 | 87 | 84 | 69 | 81 | 90 | 74 | 88 | 60 | 19 | 89 | 83 | 76 | 77 | 84 | 81 | 77 | 83 | 65 | 78 | 65 | 85 | 58 | 76 | 79 | 51 | 52 | 34 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 25 | 27 | 15 | 15 | 23 | 25 | 15 | 42 | 35 | 34 | 22 | 34 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 27 | 10 |
Era Quarterbacks who played alongside Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson Madden Ratings by Year
Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2018 rating: 76 OVR (2017 NFL season, HOU). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2019 rating: 82 OVR (2018 NFL season, HOU). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2020 rating: 82 OVR (2019 NFL season, HOU). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2021 rating: 86 OVR (2020 NFL season, HOU). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2022 rating: 90 OVR (2021 NFL season, HOU). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2023 rating: 84 OVR (2022 NFL season, CLE). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2024 rating: 78 OVR (2023 NFL season, CLE). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2025 rating: 75 OVR (2024 NFL season, CLE). Deshaun Watson Madden NFL 2026 rating: 70 OVR (2025 NFL season, CLE).