There have been some criticism with Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles with some of the decisions he has made in his time with the team, but might have something special in a rookie he picked in the NFL Draft.
Bears' rookie fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II came into the draft as one of the most athletic linebackers in the class. Hyppolite ran the fastest 40-yard dash of the linebackers with a 4.42-second run.
Chicago knew picking Hyppolite would require some development, but a player Poles saw as a potential starter with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds in the lineup. Training camp and preseason certainly have shown that to be the case in the Windy City.
Hyppolite has been a breakout star in preseason for the Bears
From the moment Bears fans saw Hyppolite on the field, his speed stood out. This is a linebacker who can drop back into coverage and have the ability right away to stay with any receiver on the field.
Preseason also showed off Hyppolite's nose for finding the ball carrier and making tackles in the open field. In three games, he made 16 tackles, which was the highest among any Bears defender on the team.
It's unclear whether Hyppolite will start, as he has spent training camp competing with another preseason standout, Noah Sewell, for the starting position. Both guys have played exceptionally on the field, which means it will be two weeks of Bears fans not knowing who was better of the two.
Sewell is a more seasoned player and really exploded onto the scene with his performance in the first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Hyppolite has been more consistent on the field in preseason, though, which could give him a slight advantage.
Read more: Bears' most notable roster battle at training camp is finally over
No matter what happens with Hyppolite, the Bears know they have someone special in him and he will be getting playing time on the field in 2025.