The Chicago Bears went heavy on offense with their first picks of the 2025 draft. Tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden III, and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo give new head coach Ben Johnson much-needed depth with a high ceiling.
The Bears didn’t go defense until they selected defensive tackle Shemar Turner with the No. 62 pick. All four of their Round 1 and Round 2 picks were solid, with Loveland and Burden having the potential to become breakout stars in the league.
However, general manager Ryan Poles is getting bashed for the next pick he made. The Bears gave defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a five-foot-11, 236-pound linebacker.
Chicago Bears LB Ruben Hyppolite called a reach
Fantasy football writer Eric Moody of ESPN thinks Ruben Hyppolite II was a reach for the Bears in the fourth round.
“Linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II to the Bears (No. 132),” Moody wrote. “This fourth-round selection was shocking because many analysts predicted Hyppolite could go undrafted. I thought this was a major reach in the middle rounds by general manager Ryan Poles.”
In fairness to the Bears, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had Hyppolite as a fifth-round pick (still a minor reach), but he thinks the linebacker will end up as a backup or special teams producer in the league.
Hyppolite was a team captain at Maryland. He played in 47 games at college, recording 218 tackles, one interception, seven passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Dennis Allen got the player he wanted
Per Larry Meyer of Bears.com, Hyppolite was deemed an “ideal fit” for Allen.
“Possessing speed and toughness, Hyppolite is an ideal fit in first-year defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme,” Meyer wrote. “Over the last five seasons at Maryland, he appeared in 51 games with 46 starts and compiled 236 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 13 tackles-for-loss, one interception, six pass breakups and one forced fumble.”
The Bears probably reached to give Allen a player he wanted in the draft. At worst, Chicago has a key special teams contributor.
As previously discussed, the Bears’ draft picks this year appeared to be a product of what the new coaching staff wanted versus what Poles would typically do in the war room. Hopefully, that risky strategy works out for them in the upcoming season.
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