Surprise Chicago Bears rookie gaining major momentum entering training camp

Hyppolite spent five years at Maryland, appearing in 50 games. He racked up 236 tackles, 13 of them coming for a loss and three sacks. He had 66 tackles in each of his final two seasons, reaching a career-high seven tackles or a loss in 2024.

While the stats don’t jump off the page, Hyppolite makes up for it with athleticism. His 4.39 40-yard dash would’ve outranked any linebacker at the combine. His agility and ability to play sideline to sideline should help him get on the field early.

But there’s a reason Hyppolite wasn’t invited to the combine or wasn’t a big prospect. He still has a lot of room for development, something head coach Ben Johnson acknowledged through minicamp. His athleticism got him through the door, but Hyppolite must now concentrate on technique and mastering Allen’s scheme.

Throughout training camp, Hyppolite will be one of the most watched players due to his rookie status. If he wins the third linebacker role as a rookie, he won’t be a no-name at least amongst Bears fans for very long.

Chicago Bears LB3 battle 

Also working in Hyppolite’s favor is the relative lack of depth at the linebacker position. Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards are the unquestioned leaders atop the depth chart. However, behind them are numerous special teamers or unheralded options.

Amen Ogbongbemiga has been used primarily on special teams while Carl Jones played just one game as a rookie. Swayze Bozeman signed as a free agent, but he only appeared in three games with the Chiefs in 2024. He appears to be more of a special teams option at the moment as well.

Perhaps the biggest competition to Hyppolite currently on the roster is former fifth-rounder Noah Sewell. While Johnson wasn’t here to draft him, general manager Ryan Poles was. Still, Sewell has made just 13 tackles and two forced fumbles over his two years with the Bears. He’s going to need a strong training camp to make a true impression on Johnson.

So will Hyppolite, who won’t be handed the job simply based on his draft selection. Still, the linebacker has continually been gaining buzz throughout the offseason and holds all the LB3 momentum entering training camp.