{"id":826390,"date":"2026-03-22T03:42:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T03:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/826390\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T03:42:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T03:42:19","slug":"how-ruben-hyppolite-may-have-quietly-altered-the-bears-2026-draft-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/826390\/","title":{"rendered":"How Ruben Hyppolite May Have Quietly Altered The Bears\u2019 2026 Draft Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears<\/a> aimed to add more speed to their linebacker group when they drafted Ruben Hyppolite in the 4th round last year. Despite misgivings from several draft evaluators about his overall value outside of the speed, they felt he\u2019d give them a dimension they lacked. It didn\u2019t go well. Hyppolite didn\u2019t see a ton of action during the season, and when he did, he didn\u2019t have much impact. Then he got hurt, reigniting concerns about his size and whether he can survive at the NFL level.<\/p>\n

Throughout the 2026 pre-draft process, the Bears have met with a total of three linebackers: Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech, Anthony Hill Jr. of Texas, and Jimmy Rolder of Michigan. Based on what is known about them, it strongly indicates that the team has made significant tweaks to its evaluation of the position. While athleticism is still important, they seem to be factoring in production, tackling, and instincts far more this year. All three of those players are known for those traits.<\/p>\n

Player\u00a0TeamTotal TacklesTFLsSacksINTsForced FumblesJacob RodriguezTexas Tech12811.01.047Anthony Hill Jr.Texas697.04.023Jimmy RolderMichigan737.02.010<\/p>\n

Source: Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder has visits scheduled with the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears & Tampa Bay Buccaneers. <\/p>\n

Physical, downhill LB was a one-year starter at Michigan & projects as a multi-phase contributor. One of the premier 1-on-1 tacklers in the class, as well.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 21, 2026<\/a> Shifting from Ruben Hyppolite to Jack Sanborn says it all.<\/p>\n

Remember, the Bears allowed the former undrafted free agent to leave in free agency last year. He joined the Dallas Cowboys, and the Bears decided to go with Noah Sewell and Hyppolite. The fact that they chose to bring Sanborn back this year is a clear signal that their linebacker priorities needed to change. While Sanborn isn\u2019t the fastest guy, his instincts and tackling ability made him valuable to the defense. It feels like the Bears would prefer to target guys like him, just with a little more explosiveness.<\/p>\n

That isn\u2019t a bad plan. Speed is great, but far from essential at that position. The best linebackers in the NFL are known more for their intelligence and instincts than their athleticism. Fred Warner only ran a 4.64. He\u2019s the best there is right now. Demario Davis, who starred in Dennis Allen\u2019s offense in New Orleans, only ran a 4.61. Tape study is crucial to identifying good linebackers. If they have speed? Great. Do they have an uncanny knack of knowing where the ball is going and getting that guy on the ground? That\u2019s what you really want.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd25 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel<\/a> to hear Chicago legends tell stories you\u2019ve never seen in headlines \u2014 real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.<\/p>\n

The Bears continue to show a willingness to learn from mistakes.<\/p>\n

Johnson proved that last season. His running game wasn\u2019t working through the first month. Rather than persist with it, he made wholesale changes during the bye week, shifting to more of an outside-zone attack. It worked almost immediately, helping the Bears to become the league\u2019s #3 ground attack. The same is true for GM Ryan Poles. For years, he was zeroed in on players with immense athletic upside, often overlooking a general lack of production to back it up. That changed last year, with the team opting for players with more established track records.<\/p>\n

Ruben Hyppolite was one of the few who didn\u2019t fall into that category. He was a calculated risk on upside. Unsurprisingly, the early signs aren\u2019t great. The Bears don\u2019t seem eager to try that again. Each of their top 30 visits thus far comes with a healthy amount of intriguing tape. We should take that to mean their scouting approach has shifted, and that Hyppolite is one of the reasons.<\/p>\n