People Inside The NFL Defended Bears' Ruben Hyppolite Pick

The Chicago Bears conducted a 2025 draft that was largely free of drama. Almost every pick they made was accepted by fans for being at least decent for where and when they happened. The only disappointment was not being able to land a running back before the 7th round. However, there was one moment that caught people by surprise. Thanks to a trade with Buffalo, the Bears ended up with a 4th round pick. Despite having some more notable players available at positions of need, GM Ryan Poles went off the rails by selecting Maryland linebacker Ruben Hyppolite.

This was a stunner because most people who'd been covering the draft all spring had never heard of him. He didn't really surface until the Terps' pro day when he ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. Even so, most assumed he would be an undrafted free agent. So, to take him in the 4th round was immediately viewed as a massive reach. Did people inside the NFL feel the same way? Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog spoke to one of them. By the sound of it, Hyppolite was nearly as big a mystery as many claim.

Did the Bears overdraft Ruben Hyppolite? "We had him on our board. A little bit later than the fourth but I don't think much later. Sixth, I think. People seemed surprised by that pick but we weren't. I didn't scout him but our guy who did liked him for specials because of the speed. Ben LOVES speed above most other things. This was not a draft with safe late-round prospects. If you saw a trait in a guy you loved, you took him. Bears clearly did that. Why not?"

Ruben Hyppolite benefited from a weak draft.

That is the reality of it. Experts had been saying for months that the depth of the 2025 class was weak. There weren't many intriguing players who might slip to the later rounds because teams would be scooping them up early. That meant the objective on Day 3 was clear: throw some darts at players with traits. Ruben Hyppolite fell under that category. There are many linebackers in football with 4.4 speed. The Bears felt that perhaps with proper development under an experienced coaching staff could get more out of him. If nothing else, he has all the qualities you seek in an eventual core special teamer. While 4th round picks are valuable, it always depends on the draft's depth.