When the Madden ratings are released by EA Sports every year, there's a battle amongst players about how they're perceived by the video game. Everyone believes he's perpetually underrated, save for a few lucky souls who played well enough to earn perfect overall ratings of 99.

In Madden 17 there were four 99-rated players at launch, and none of the guys who earned the honor were quarterbacks, a bit of an upset given how the NFL operates in today's day and age.

Let's look at the players who were tabbed for the top rating.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots

The only offensive player to earn the perfect overall rating, Gronk getting a 99 shouldn't be a surprise because he is a superhuman freak capable of destroying defenses, bringing party cruises to their knees with a single twerk and doing everything anyone would ever ask out of a tight end.

Gronk averaged 77 catches, 1,150 yards and 12 touchdowns over the last few years, essentially shirking the injury-prone label and becoming the most dominant non-QB offensive weapon in the NFL.

He is criminally underpaid, but he is appropriately rated.

Luke Kuechly, LB, Panthers

Here's a surprise. Not because Kuechly isn't the best middle linebacker in football -- he definitely is -- but because the folks at EA Sports decided to give a linebacker a 99 rating. Kuechly's shown an ability to be the best run-stuffing linebacker in the game, rush the passer and do impressive work in the secondary while dropping back into coverage.

It's also possible the Madden ratings are including relativity in the ratings. Which is to say, Kuechly (and Gronk) are so much better than everyone else at their respective positions, it would make sense to give them perfect overall ratings.

Kuechly actually missed three games in 2015, the first of his career, but he still managed 118 total tackles, four interceptions, one sack, 10 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He's a defensive tornado on the field, and he hasn't even hit his prime yet.

Von Miller, LB, Broncos

After Miller's defensive performance during the playoffs, who can blame EA for handing him the top rating for pass rushers? If you look at Miller's performance in 2015, it wasn't even the best season of his career (11 sacks, 35 tackles, four forced fumbles, one pass defensed) ... but holy cow was his playoff run epic. Miller totaled five sacks, 13 tackles, one interception, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles in three games. Three games!

There are good times for a contract year, and then there are incredible times for incredible runs in the playoffs in a contract year. Miller pulled off the latter, got paid an incredible amount of money by the Broncos this offseason and looks poised for a massive follow-up year at the age of 27.

J.J. Watt, DE, Texans

Duh. That would be enough, right? In terms of "destruction above replacement" there isn't anyone close to Watt. Find the best player at any position and then chart the second-best player and Watt has far more room between him and whomever is next than any other position.

His 2015 was insane, per usual: 17.5 sacks (most in the NFL), 76 tackles, eight passes defensed and three forced fumbles. It got less attention than the prior year because he wasn't lining up at tight end and catching touchdown passes too. Watt is the best defensive player in football and it's not close. This is an easy choice.