Madden 25′s Franchise mode isn't just about winning Super Bowls, but scouting and drafting quality players to maintain your dynasty. It's important to know what positions your team is lacking in, and when your veteran superstars on your roster plan to hang up their cleats. Additionally, there's always the wild chaos of free agency and trading, which could see you lose your best players in an instant. Therefore, we created a guide on how to Scout and Draft players in Madden 25's Franchise Mode.
Madden 25 Guide – How to Scout & Draft Players in Franchise
In order to draft the best players in Madden 25's Franchise mode, you need to hire the right scouts for your team and assign them to the best regions. Let's explain each factor in more detail.
Firstly, let's go over your scouting staff, who you'll want to make sure you set up before the season begins. Overall, you can have up to five scouts in Madden 25 Franchise, all with their own star ratings. Note that you can only have:
- One three-star scout
- One two-star scout
- Three one-star scouts
We recommend firing all of your scouts as soon as possible. Don't worry, even if you liked one of them, you can always re-hire them later on.
It's important to hire scouts with expertise in positions you need. For example, if your team has a lackluster secondary, it'd be a good idea to hire a high-rated scout with expertise in CBs and Safeties. If your team has a pretty good offensive line, but you still want to search for future players, try hiring a one star Scout with expertise in the O line.
Regions
In Madden 25's Franchise Mode, you'll need to scout for players across the country. This is where your scouts come into play, as you need to assign one to a region throughout the year. The regions of Madden 25 include:
- National
- Northeast
- Southeast
- Central
- West
The main difference in regions is the type of talent they produce in a given year. For example, the Southeast might produce a lot of good QBs, so perhaps send your scout with QB expertise to research players in that area throughout the year. You can also assign a scout nationally, which will research players throughout the country.
We recommend one of two things for assigning scouts in Madden 25:
- Assigning your three-star scout as your national scout OR
- Assigning your three-star scout to a highly talented region for a position of need
If your team is pretty good in all areas, and there are no major positional needs, assign your three-star scout to the national level. This ensures a bigger boost to scouting on a national level. However, if you really need players in a certain position, assign your three-star scout to a region where there's a lot of talent for the position you need.
For example, if there are great CBs in the Southeast, and you desperately need to build your secondary, assign your three-star scout there. Each year brings a new draft class, which means a new region could change dramatically. That southeast region that produced good QBs in 2025 might not produce any good ones in 2026. Therefore, check the region breakdown every year to see the draft classes' strength and weaknesses for every area.
Season Progression & Scout Reports
As the season progresses your scouts return with more info on each player in the draft class. This information ranges from player grades, draft projections, and how far they're into their research. Throughout the year, there'll be Mock Drafts released giving you an idea of where a player may land. Keep these in mind if there's a certain player you've been keeping your eye on.
Shortly before the draft, you'll see player grades from the NFL Combine, giving you even more detailed info about the player. It might also be what persuades or dissuades you from taking someone. Did the #1 projected QB perform poorly at the Combine? That might not be a good indicator for their development and ratings. Conversely, a HB projected to go in the 5th round might turn out being the best thanks to their Combine Results.
Trading & Earning Picks
Before heading to draft night, you might want to stock up on draft picks. Do you really need a 7th round pick this year? Does that 75 OVR backup RG who's turning 33 next year really deserve a place on your roster?
Consider trading players and late draft picks for better picks in the future. If you don't need a 7th round pick in 2026, trade it for a 6th round pick in 2027. If you can trade a 35 year old player for a 6th or 7th, do it. Stock up on ammunition (draft picks) to use as leverage in trade negotiations on draft night.
In the League Settings, you can actually adjust trade difficulties to be tougher or more favorable to you.
Draft Night – Tips on Drafting The Best Players in Madden 25
Before entering the NFL Draft in Madden 25, SAVE YOUR GAME! If you end up not liking the players you drafted, you at least have the option of going back. Furthermore, make sure to set the Draft Timer to off. This can be done in league settings or during the draft itself. Unless you're playing in an online league, you should have all the time in the world to consider your options.
During the Draft, you'll have one of two main options to choose from:
- Trade For Current Selection/Your Selection
- Make Your Selection
- Skip Ahead (Your Next Pick, Next Pick, End of Draft)
Trading Picks on Draft Night
Related NewsArticle continues below
Unless you were the worst team in the previous season, you'll have the option to trade ahead in the draft. However, trading for picks early in the draft might cost you a lot depending on your set trade difficulty. For example, expect to give up an arm and leg if you want to take the first overall pick.
However, you'll also have the option to your own picks if there's no one on the board you want. Often times, trading a draft pick should result in you receiving aa better pick, or picks. For example, I sometimes trade my fourth round picks in the current year for a third-rounder next year. That third-rounder can then be used to draft a good player or as leverage in trade negotiations.
If you decide to trade draft picks with another team, take into consideration their roster and standings. For example, if the 2-15 Patriots want to give you a first round pick for your aging superstar HB, it may be wise to take the deal. The team may perform badly again, giving you a great selection in the next draft.
Making A Selection – Who are the best players to Draft in Madden 25 Franchise?
The best players to draft in Madden 25 Franchise Mode are those with high scout grades and phenomenal Combine results. Of course, that's not always going to the be the case. Sometimes you might see a player with okay grades but great combine results. There's a risk involved with each pick you make, but some are greater risks than others.
That is why we recommend saving before drafting. If you do not like the players you selected, feel free to revert to a former save. But it might also be fun to just go along with everything and see what happens.
Lastly, players can just skip ahead to various points of the draft. Want to skip to your next pick, or to the end of the draft? Feel free to do so. Just keep in mind that Additionally, you can also look at the draft board to see who's been selected, and who else remains.
Overall, that includes everything you need to know about Scouting and Drafting the best players in Madden 25. We hope this guide helped you understand how the scouting system works. Furthermore, we hope it helps you draft the next NFL Legend who'll elevate your Franchise to the next level. Regardless, have fun booing virtual Roger Goodell on Draft Night.
In other news, check out our other Madden 25 guides on kicking, passing, and updating rosters.
For more gaming and NFL news, visit ClutchPoints. Furthermore, subscribe to our gaming newsletter for more weekly info.
