The Aggie standout’s world-class track speed has earned an elite 96 rating, yet his explosive NFL production suggests he deserves an even higher spot among football's fastest players.
When EA Sports released the speed ratings for Madden NFL 27, former Texas A&M star De'Von Achane found himself exactly where most fans expected — among the fastest players in football.
His 96 speed rating is tied for the fourth-highest mark in the entire game, a testament to the game-breaking explosiveness that has defined his career from College Station to the NFL.
But for many Aggie fans, there's a strong case that 96 isn't quite high enough.
Achane has spent years proving he belongs in conversations with the fastest players in football. Long before he became one of the NFL's most dangerous running backs, he was turning heads at Texas A&M with blazing speed that regularly erased pursuit angles. Defenses knew he could score any time he touched the ball, yet stopping him was another matter entirely.
His track background only strengthens the argument. Achane wasn't simply a football player with above-average speed; he was one of the nation's premier sprinters during his time with the Aggies. That rare combination of world-class track speed and elite football instincts made him one of the most electrifying players to wear the maroon and white in recent memory.
Since arriving in the NFL, Achane has done nothing to suggest he's slowed down. Instead, he's become one of the league's premier home-run threats, consistently turning routine runs into explosive gains. Whether it's bouncing outside, catching passes in space, or outrunning entire secondaries, his speed remains his defining trait.
That's why a 99 speed rating probably would have been more appropriate.
A 96 is undeniably elite and places Achane among the fastest players in Madden 27. Still, the difference between a 96 and the coveted 99 rating is significant. The latter is reserved for players viewed as virtually unmatched in open-field speed, and many would argue Achane has earned that distinction through both his collegiate and professional production.
The only player who received that rating is former Texas Longhorn and current Kansas City Chiefs player Xavier Worthy, who set the record for the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL history with a 4.21. Not many would argue that he deserved the 99 speed, but Achane could very well be right there with him.
Ratings in Madden are always subject to debate, and they'll continue to change throughout the season based on on-field performance. If Achane continues producing explosive plays at the rate football fans have come to expect, it wouldn't be surprising to see EA Sports revisit his speed rating in a future update.
For now, Aggie fans can appreciate seeing one of Texas A&M's most dynamic alumni recognized as one of the fastest players in the game, even if many believe he deserves to stand alone at the very top with a perfect 99.
