Bear Digest

Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II learns as rapidly as he moves

Bears coach Ben Johnson had high praise for rookie Ruben Hyppolite, the fourth-rounder who many called a real reach early on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Gene Chamberlain

Rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite III participates in stretching during offseason work. The fourth-rounder was lauded by coach Ben Johnson for learning quickly.
Rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite III participates in stretching during offseason work. The fourth-rounder was lauded by coach Ben Johnson for learning quickly. / David Banks-Imagn Images
In this story:

Ultimately, production during organized team activities or minicamps means little for the Bears or any other team.

Training camp is still to come and play in pads or at camp but out of pads carries far more weight. It's like coach Ben Johnson said at the outset of offseason work—no one wins a job based on OTAs. It's all about learning then.

When Johnson named fourth-round linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II one of four players who surprised him the most during offseason work, it spoke volumes about the rookie's commitment and, especially, his ability to focus and learn quickly.

If there were four players named as surprises, it was probably Hyppolite who had come the longest way in such a short period of time because he was a player whose selection was ridiculed by many after the draft because it was in Round 4.

Running back Kyle Monangai was also lauded by Johnson but even as a seventh-round pick he was a known quantity and probably only went in Round 7 because of the large number of quality backs in the 2025 draft.

Hyppolite's selection had everyone asking "who," on draft day. ESPN's Eric Moody labeled him one of the draft's biggest reaches.

In fact, the classic video clip from the draft was of Ryan Poles asking if the network even had video of Hyppolite for live coverage after the pick, and then saying he loved it when a player is picked who shocks the network so much they don't have video.

This can be interpreted two different ways, though.

It was Hyppolite's studious nature that seemed to provide the boost.

"There are a lot of moving parts there at linebacker play," Johnson said. "They're keying and diagnosing a few different deals. Just with DA's (Dennis Allen) scheme, the match mentality that we like to play a lot of our coverages with, things change quickly.

"He's done a great job of adjusting to that speed as we've gone through, and that's going to have to show up once we do get the pads on. He has been improving every single day, and, really, we're hoping that course continues."

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds had noted this right away about Hyppolite, long before Johnson named him as one of the four most surprising Bears.

"He kind of just sits back and, like, not sit back and don't say nothing, but he’s real observant of what's going around," Edmunds said. "I was kind of like that when I was a rookie. I think he definitely peeped the scene.

"And he’s going to be a good player for sure. I like the way that he approaches it. He has a business-like mindset. I think obviously I'm speaking outside the field, you know, what he can do on the field, speed and all that stuff sticks out too. But just like his mindset coming into the building, especially being a rookie, I think is where it needs to be at."

Hyppolite said this is his regular approach to learning.

“I love looking at the (defensive scheme) installs and writing notes on the install," Hyppolite said. "Just circling things. That's how I learned. Then obviously walking through was a big deal for me.

"Especially after Day 1 (of rookie camp), the walkthrough that we had after Day 1, that really helped me out a lot. Just calm down and really get into the swing of things. Then helped me jumpstart in day two off on the right foot. Taking notes. I'm more of a picture and walkthrough guy, so that's how I learned best.”

Allen took a look at Hyppolite early and thought the speed immediately stood out. Most of his snaps came at weakside linebacker with starter T.J. Edwards sitting out due to injury. Hyppolite played both weak and middle at Maryland.

"The No. 1 thing is he can run, and the things that we're going to ask our backers to have to do, you know, they've got to be able to match up with tight ends, running backs at times, they've got to be able to match up with wide receivers.

"Sometimes that's carrying things vertical down the field, so we we're looking for guys that can run."

Hyppolite did this early on in Week 2 of OTAs, when he picked up speedy D'Andre Swift on a wheel route and stayed with him stride for stride to break up the throw.

The speed no doubt helped him there, but his knowledge through taking notes and learning quickly had an impact as well.

Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower is used to rookies who don't really know what they're doing early.

"He's doing a nice job, but you know, just like all the other rookies," Hightower said. "You (media) guys remember your first couple days on the job. Their (rookies) heads are spinning.

"They're drinking out of a fire hose and they're trying to compete as best they can."

Apparently the water from that firehose tastes pretty good because Hyppolite is showing he is anything but your average rookie when it comes to learning fast.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.